A Closer Look At Chris Brown

Let me begin by stating that I do not know Chris Brown personally nor is this an attack on his character. His questionable actions have been well documented especially ever since he went ape shit crazy on Rihanna. Yet he continues to throw fuel to the fire, giving the media reasons to continually stalk and blast his business to the world. He broke a window at Good Morning America, got into a physical altercation with fellow singer Frank Ocean, and most recently threw a rock at his mother's vehicle. You know someone is a bit crazy when they attack their own mama. Does Chris Brown not recognize that he is the Chris Brown, a man that most love to hate?

If he was any other twenty something young male, surely his antics would be chalked up to just being young and dumb. But he is not just an average young man. He is a talented and gifted entertainer that found fame at a pivotal age and has not really been allowed to grow up without having a microscope placed on his every move. This in no way excuses his behavior but Chris must recognize that he does not have the freedom or luxury to just grow into manhood. He gave that up when he decided to seek fame.

Fame has not been all bad for Chris though. Surely if he was just a random man he would have faced severe consequences for his assault on a woman and been sent to prison a long time ago. For that he should be thankful since many others have not been so lucky. His anger or frustration that is the cause of his lashing out must be addressed if there is any hope of him living a normal, drama free life. He is young and has time to correct it only if chooses to surround himself around people that genuinely care for his well being. 

I am rooting for Chris. Not because he can sing or dance and is good looking. I am rooting for him because he sincerely has all the tools available to him to turn his life around for the better. Money, fame, nor success guarantees happiness or contentment. He has found all three of the aforementioned but it is highly doubtful that he truly content with where he is at this current moment. Hopefully Chris Brown learns that what other thinks of him is irrelevant and that there will always be people who pray for your downfall. Regular people that go to work everyday and who strive for better are faced with doubters so with his evolution being magnified for the world, he certainly is no different. 

Another Tobacco Shop?!

All over the south, tobacco shops are springing up daily in mostly Black neighborhoods. The most disturbing element is that these businesses are never owned by blacks but by people of Middle Eastern descent.  Why is it so easy for these sorts of business to open up in areas that rarely have commercial properties? 

The average American is well aware of the disastrous health effects of smoking tobacco, yet these businesses continue to open and thrive despite the extreme detriment they bring to these areas. Most of these owners do not reside in the areas where their shops operate and can comfortably take their profits back to their side of town. By visiting one of these establishments you will find much more that just cigars and cigarettes. They usually openly sell paraphernalia that is meant for harder drugs and may even offer the opportunity to sell a white tee or lottery tickets (serious side eye). 

Until we recognize the harm that these business bring and their lack of support for the neighborhoods they inhibit, the black dollar will continue to be viewed as easy income for those who are not concerned with our well being. Challenging the status quo of behavior is what is necessary to bring about change. 

We must pool our resources to not only start our own businesses, hire those that are often looked over,  and support these ventures by spending our dollars there. Black business owner should go above and beyond to offer quality services at prices that are reasonable. The biggest complaints about small black businesses are their lack of customer service and offer low quality product. Both of these can easily be fixed.

Only when we understand and respect the power of black consumerism will we forge ahead and rebuild the great markets that we are capable of. 

Duke Lacrosse Rape Accuser Faces Murder Trial

As a native North Carolinian, the controversy of the Duke Lacrosse Rape case and the fiasco that followed is freshly minted in my recent memories. How could we forget the lies of then stripper Crystal Mangum that led to innocent college students facing prison time and added flames to the fire of Durham's already fragile race relations. It seemed as though she escaped any definitive consequences for her untruths, however, that bitch Karma soon found her as Mangum is now on trial for the 2011 murder of her 46-year-old boyfriend Reginald Daye. 

Mangum is accused of stabbing Daye in his apartment which caused his death ten days later at Duke Hospital. Opening remarks started yesterday and the trial has already has seen complications. Jurors have come forward accusing each other of inappropriate conversations concerning the case and the negative impact the trial could have on the city of Durham, NC which has seen its fair share of controversies. 

The Crystal Mangum & Duke Lacrosse saga was poignant as it help highlight many of the United States' justice system fallacies including overzealous District Attorneys who prosecute cases based on little to no evidence. The Duke Lacrosse team were fortunate that they had means to hire good lawyers, were members of a reputable university, and had white privilege on their side. Many men, black, white, yellow or brown have not seen these same outcomes. 

Crystal Mangum is now forced to face her demons, whatever they may be, as she stares down the possibility of serving major prison time. The life of this young woman was most likely tough, but there are many people whom circumstances of life are similar who have yet to commit murder. 

Jhene Aiko's Releases Sail Out EP

Leaving listeners wanting more after dropping her Sailing Souls mix tape, Jhene Aiko picks up right where she left out with the recent release of her follow up EP, Sail Out. Her signature ambient and emo tone continues into this project with similar themes and a production style that mimics daydreaming in a haze like state. The softness of her voice weaves perfectly with the sounds in the backdrop and even the lyrics are a directly related  as she continues to share her fondness of ganja and being in love. 

Aiko took care to not release too many tracks as she gets set to release her full length album in 2014. As expected Sail Out showcases hip hop collaborations that include Ab Soul, Childish Gambino, and her go to guy, Kendrick Lamar. Chances are if you enjoyed Sailing Souls, then most likely Sail Out will be added to you playlist since they closely resemble each other in sound and content wise. It seems that Aiko has found her formula and is sticking to it. 

Check out the visual for "The Worst".

Sail Out is available on iTunes here:

https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/sail-out/id728792658?ign-mpt=uo%3D4

3 R&B Artist(s) That We Miss

Remember having that favorite song that you rewinded (pre iTunes or even compact disc days) over and over again to learn every single lyric? Or that artist that you adored and followed almost religiously? Before artists had Twitter accounts or webpages that gave their audiences the chance to track their every move, most of them remained veiled by mystery. Before this Big Brother era that we currently live in, most recording artist were allowed to keep the focus on solely producing quality music. Let's take a look back at a few of the artists that we wish could make a triumphant return to urban music.

5. Montell Jordan

My era's Chris Brown had to be the Los Angeles R&B singer/songwriter, Montell Jordan. He was the bad boy of R&B during the mid 1990's and is the voice behind the #1 single "This Is How We Do It" which can be still heard at black family reunions and sports arenas around the nation. He had a brief stint in acting with small parts in the film The Nutty Professor as well as Fighting Temptations, which starred Cuba Gooding Jr. and Beyonce Knowles. Jordan may no longer be the force he once was in R&B but he is still pursuing his love of music as the married and born-again Christian is currently the Worship Minister at the Victory World Church located in the Atlanta, Georgia area. 

4. Ready For the World

I feel sorry for the youngsters that missed the jheri curls and music brought to us by the Flint, Michigan boy group known as Ready For the World. They brought us the classic R&B and dance hits such as "Oh Sheila", "Love You Down", and "Tonight" which have all been widely sampled and redone by some of R&B biggest artists including Trey Songz. Ready for the World reached the peak of their success from 1985 until the early 90's. Though they may be gone, they will never be forgotten. Especially when one their slow jams drop and you start grindin' like its 1990 all over again. 

3. 702 

Using the area code from their hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada, R&B trio 702 stayed heavy in my cd rotation. The group featured sisters Misha and Irish Grinstead and lead vocalist Kameelah Williams who attended the Las Vegas Academy of Performing Arts together.  Discovered by comedian, Sinbad singing in the Ceasars Palace Hotel lobby, the group went on to work closely with Missy Elliot. They went platinum and spawned several hits including "Steelo", "Get It Together", and my favorite "I Still Love You" which was produced and featured Pharell Williams. 

We could make a rather lengthy list of R&B artists that are sorely missed but we would rather hear what you think. Comment or email us to let us know who miss in music!