Recap BET Awards 2015

The BET Awards aired last night, and since I've watched these shows since they started, I knew what to expect. However, the more I watch these shows, the more I'm reminded of how old(er) I'm getting. Like my parents used to do when I was a teenager, I found myself having to ask my 11 year old daughter, "Who is that?" or "What the heck are they saying?" more than a few times. These hip hop artists (I use that term lightly) get more and more ridiculous every year. But there were some great moments, and I'll list my top five below.

1. The Bad Boy 20th year medley. I can't lie, I was dancing my ass off, and just like I'd been doing anytime a current rapper appeared onstage, my daughter gave me a serious side-eye and a look that suggested that she was both bored and disgusted, as I relived the 90's and my youth, for just a little while. We all know Puffy can't really dance, but whatever it is he does, has always worked for him, and I loved seeing him do it. Then, I really got into it when Lil Kim, a*k*a* The Queen Bee rose up from the stage. I hate whatever she did to her face, but she's still one of the greatest female rappers, ever. I was a little disappointed that they didn't do Flavor In Ya Ear, but I still enjoyed the entire thing. I guess I was really into it, because I didn't even see Diddy fall through the stage. Thank God for commentary from my fellow FB awards show watchers. No wonder he looked at Smokey Robinson like, could you please wrap this speech up..he was in pain.

2. Speaking of Smokey Robinson, I love this guy. He looks great for his age. Whatever he's doing, is working for him. I absolutely loved the Tori Kelly, Robin Thicke, and Ne-Yo (even though I can't stand Ne-yo) tribute. I've listened to Tori on Youtube, so I knew she could sing, but she killed that performance last night. Robin, this is the guy we fell in love with- soft, sensual, smooth, Robin...not wannabe playa, bad boy that's down with the hip hop artists, Robin. Listening to him sing last night, almost made me forgive his stupidity...now if only Paula Patton would. After the medley, Smokey himself got onstage and showed these youngsters how it's done, after he basically told them to get the hell over themselves, because they are not the first R & B singers to make it in this business, and they won't be the last, something that needed to be said. One of my main issues with these artists today is they are not humble, and are waaayyyy too full of themselves. Off topic but, after watching Smokey, I really wanted to watch the Temptations movie.

3. Because I absolutely love Morris Chestnut, I was so happy to see him onstage with The Perfect Guy co-stars, Sanaa Lathan and Michael Ealy. I can't wait for that movie. It looks good, but I wouldn't care if it's not...it gives us another chance to look at Sexy Chocolate, a*k*a* Morris Chestnut. Side-note: Michael Ealy does crazy just a little too well. Things that make you go hmm....
Also, the cast of The Game came onstage to announce to the world that this is the final season of the show (for real this time) Then, Derwin 'Ding Dong' Davis shocked us all, by coming onstage and announcing that both he and Girl Melanie will be coming back at some point during this final season. I hate the direction this show went on when BET took over it from the CW, but I'll always have the memories of when it was a really good show. I just might tune in, now that Derwin & Mel will be back.

4. The Janet Tribute. I was so caught up in this, I didn't even know who was onstage. The girl I thought was Ciara dancing to Pleasure Principal in the beginning, was not really Ciara. It was someone named Tinashe (one of those people I had to look to my daughter to find out who she was) but she was awesome. Jason DeRulo, I could have done without, but I guess since Chris Brown had already done a few performances, they went with this guy. I don't care for him at all (he's one of those arrogant artists with no humility I mentioned earlier) but he was okay I guess, for what he did. So Ciara finally graced the stage for the Rhythm Nation part, and as expected, she killed it. I've always thought her dancing was a mix between Janet Jackson and the late Aaliyah, so there was no question that she would pay proper homage to Janet. I, like everybody else, was extremely disappointed that as usual, BET made us wait fifty-eleven hours to watch the main event, only to find that the person being honored, wasn't even performing. Janet did grace the stage, looking like an angel in white, but she didn't perform...guess she's saving it for her Unbreakable World Tour. Either way, she obviously drinks from the same fountain of youth that Smokey Robinson and Pharell drink from, because she still looks youthful and beautiful as always.

5. Tamar and K. Michelle sang....TOGETHER onstage. If you follow these two on social media, you know they've had a feud with each other for a few years (even though they've never met in person). It's been a bunch of silly name-calling and insults being traded between the two of them, but somehow, BET managed to make them appear to have kissed and made up. I think whatever issues they had with each other were made worse by the fans, stans, and Black Twitter. Even when Tamar announced that they would be performing together on her Facebook page, there were still people commenting that one would out-sing the other, or which one was better than the other. I could only shake my head and roll my eyes at those people who can't let the issue go, even though the people involved have.  As for the performance itself, it was lackluster. I love me some Tamar, but she never does well with her award show performances. She can sing her ass off, though. Then, Mama Patti came onstage and saved both Tamar and K. Michelle while they tried to sing If Only You Knew, and all was good at the end of the night.

After that, we got a brief glimpse of Rihanna announcing that she has a video for Bitch Better Have My Money, which will be out in a few days, then some guy singing about a Trap Queen (again, I looked to my child for an explanation about him and his song) and it was finally over. I give this show a 8 out of 10, because while some of the jokes from presenters fell flat, I loved all the performances, more than I thought I would. Good job BET, just next time, find a way to make it a little shorter. Us old(er) folks can't be up all night. 

#TBT Michael Jackson doing the Moonwalk at Motown 25

Okay, I know I just did a blogpost about #MichaelJackson less than thirty minutes ago, but I loved to see this man dance. And since it's #TBT (Throwback Thursday) I thought I would post a throwback video, back to when we saw him perform his famous Moonwalk for the first time at Motown 25 in 1983 while performing Billie Jean. 

The song really was about a girl who claimed that MJ was the father of her child. Jackson based it on a woman who used to stalk him, writing him letters about a son she thought was his. Jackson rarely spoke about this woman, but he had a very hard time dealing with this unwanted attention, and he became more reclusive as a result. The song was his way of expressing his feelings without addressing her directly. 

#RIPMichaelJackson #KingOfPop #KingOfDance #Moonwalk 

#RIPMichaelJackson

Michael Joseph Jackson 

August 29, 1958- June 25, 2009

For as long as I can remember, I've loved anything dealing with music and choreography. And nobody made better music and had better choreography than Michael Jackson. While there have been some great impersonators, and even some other musicians who come close to having his talent (Usher and Chris Brown) nobody will ever be able to capture the world's attention and hearts the way this man did. 

I remember it as if it happened yesterday, exactly where I was and what I was doing when I heard of his passing. Like the rest of the world, I was both shocked and saddened. Whatever the circumstances surrounding his death, he is and will always be missed for his humanity, humbleness, and most of all, his remarkable talent. Rest In Peace & Love, Michael Jackson. 

#RIPMichaelJackson #MichaelJackson #KingOfPop #KingOfDance

Can we please talk about something else other than the Confederate Flag?

Enough, already. We get it- white folks love, honor, and cherish this flag...for whatever reason. And just because 9 innocent people were murdered while in Bible study last Wednesday night by a skinny white kid- who waved this flag proudly and carried it around like Linus carried his blue blanket on Charlie Brown...as if it were a source of comfort-a flag that, for Black folks, is a constant reminder of the brutality that our people faced years ago, from white slave owners, to the KKK using it to intimidate us - it's still not a good enough reason to remove it from the State House grounds in South Carolina- the state where these 9 people were killed...just because they were black.

In the past week, I have seen several people type long ass paragraphs and essays about why this flag should not be removed. They have gone on and on about how this is so unfair and unconstitutioanl...blah, blah, freakin' blah. I can hear them saying, "It's just nine black people...why should we have to remove our beloved flag for them? Their lives never have been and never will be of any importance to us." One Republican/Racist SC State Representative, William Chumley (who's one of many arguing in favor of the flag remaining in it's rightful place atop the State Building) even had the audacity to insinuate that the victims' murders were their own faults, since "they just sat there and waited their turn to be murdered." 

I am over hearing about this damn flag. But while we're on the subject of it, let me just say what it represents for me, as a Black woman. It represents the KKK, Skinheads, and other closet racists', who sought out and killed my people back in the slavery days if they stepped out of line. It represents the many black and white people who died, while fighting for the Civil Rights of colored folks in the 60's- many whom were killed by racist cops and lawmen, who smiled at you while at the same time, wore white robes over their police uniforms...much like they do today. It represents the fights and struggles that black folks such as Dr. King and Rosa Parks went through daily, in an attempt to be treated like humans...you know, the same as white people. It represents the white mob who cursed, spit on, and threatened the nine Black students who tried to enter Central High School in Little Rock, AR in the 50's...because how dare these niggers think they can get an education alongside their precious white kids. It represents those white folks who still, in 2015, don't like the idea that Black folks should be treated equal to themselves.

This flag, to me, has always represented something evil and hateful, and no amount of protesting in favor of it, or typing your long ass essays- hoping to make me realize it's not as bad as it seems- will ever change my mind. I've had my own experience with people who wave this flag around, or hang it in the windows of their vehicles. Being born and raised in southern Arkansas, I've always had the notion that there were racist people around me..even some of those who smiled in my face and treated me nice. Years ago, maybe around early 2000, I was walking alone one night, headed to a friend's house. Now, Prescott, AR - my hometown- can be like a ghost town after dark. It's a small city with not more than 5,000 people, and after 6:00, there's not a lot going on in the heart of town. Most businesses are closed for the day, and other than traffic on the main highway, not many people were out. Well, this was after 10:00 at night, so I didn't see hardly anybody else as I was walking. Growing up there, I never felt I had a reason to worry about walking alone, until that night; I mean, this was my hometown, and I knew just about everybody. So, I'm walking, minding my own business, and this pickup truck drives past me. No big deal to me. The driver stopped at the stop sign, but then continued to sit there for a minute...even though no traffic was coming from either direction to prevent him from going on wherever he was going. Eventually, he turned right, and drove off. Still, no big deal to me, I'm just trying to get to my destination. I hear a vehicle coming up behind me, so I turned my head and looked. It's the same truck. My first thought was, maybe whoever it is, he's lost or something. I keep walking, but then I notice that the driver of the truck is creeping along slowly, slightly behind me. Then all of a sudden, he speeds past me...and that's when I saw the Confederate flag in the back window of his truck. I immediately panicked. Like I said, that flag has always represented racism to me. Those good ol boys, who pretend to be okay with having to share their country with us niggers...unless we were working beneath them. Again, the driver sat at the stop sign longer than he had to, because no other traffic was coming from either direction. My heart was racing, but I kept walking. I came to the stop sign, to cross the highway. He continued to sit there, waiting to see which way I was going. When I walked across the highway, he crept along beside me, steadily revving the engine of his truck. There are no words to describe how scared I was, because at that point, it was obvious to me that he was following me. Nobody else was out, either walking or driving, so I was alone. I ignored him and continued walking across the highway, but then I noticed that I'm now heading into a neighborhood, where there's limited streetlights and even less potential for traffic. I came to another stop sign, and he's still driving slowly along. He sat at that stop sign- again waiting to see which way I was going. The hairs on the back of my neck were standing straight up, as that scene from A Time To Kill came to mind- when the little girl was raped by the two white men as she walked from the store. I was trying not to show that I was intimidated, but fear was the only emotion I felt, being a black woman walking alone. Luckily, I was at the corner where the library was, and the police station was across the street. Something in me said, "Act like you're going to the police station," and that's exactly what I did. As I put my hand on the door handle, I looked back to see that the driver of the truck was still sitting at the stop sign...waiting and watching. It wasn't until I pulled the door open and went inside, that he burned rubber speeding off. I waited about a minute, then peeked out the door, to find that he was gone, luckily. 

That may have been some random jerk just wanting to ruffle my feathers, but I don't think so. That flag in his window indicated something different for me. In my heart, he had ill intentions, just as everybody else who waves this flag around do. There's no doubt in my mind that whatever the reason he was following me, wasn't a good one. So, you can try to convince me until you're blue in the face that this flag doesn't represent anything racist, but that'll be the equivalent as trying to convince me that I'm not really a woman...you can't. 

You can claim that it represents the confederate men on the field of battle, and/or that it's honoring the many who have laid down their lives fighting for America; you can find and post photos on social media of black rappers like Ludacris & Kanye who proudly wore this flag on stage...none of that means a damn thing to me. It's in poor taste to honor something that has been a symbol of hurt, fear, and intimidation for so many people, but there is absolutely no humanity left in this evil world, so it doesn't surprise me one bit that some people still try to make excuses and justify it. These same people feel that these nine victims deserved what they got for sitting there and not defending themselves, let them tell it. "These same people make a big deal over President Obama using the word nigger, when they've both thought it and blantantly called him this same word several times since he's been President," a point brought out by CNN commentator and Host of BET News @marclamonthill 

So, why should we ever expect them to understand? It's just a waste of time focusing so much on whether or not to take the flags down from State Buildings, at this point. I can use makeup to cover a blemish on my face. Underneath, I know the blemish is still there, no matter what I do to disguise it. That's the same way I feel about this flag: they can debate and protest to have them removed, and some states have and will listen, and order them removed...but you can't order a person to change what's in their hearts. A racist will still be a racist, whether the flag is taken down or not. So, let's move on, and give some of this attention to the victims of this senseless crime instead of the manifesto written by the cowardly killer, or this flag. They rightfully deserve it. 

Why does talking about PMS bother anybody in 2015?

I woke up this morning to discover than Aunt Flo decided to pay me a visit, much to my dismay. Knowing that I had to go to work, and that it was already hot as fish grease outside at only 9 am, I was already dreading my work day. As if my job and customers don't already make me want to rip every strand of hair out of my head, now I had to add period cramps on top of it. So, I grabbed my bottle of Midol, and popped a few in my mouth, hoping to get a jump on the horrible cramps that I have every month. Seriously, my cramps are almost as painful as childbirth was. Then, because I'm a social media junkie, I grabbed my cell phone, snapped a pic of the Midol box, then posted it to Instagram. If anything, it was meant to be a warning to anybody who might come into contact with me today, to tread lightly. 

Anyway, this guy commented on my pic- which was also shared on my Facebook page- that my PMS post was T.M.I. (too much info). Let me get this straight: People can post pictures, videos, memes, written posts, and anything that else that are almost pornographic in nature on social media, all day long. We talk about sex, with no reservations anymore...because everybody's doing it and talking about it, no matter how personal it should be. I've read jokes and seen some memes that even make me raise an eyebrow...and I write erotic romances. People are comfortable sharing things on Facebook and Instagram that they wouldn't even say to their spouses; but a woman saying, "I'm having terrible cramps today," bothers you? What is this, jr high school?

I rolled my eyes as I typed a semi-apologetic response to the guy who had an issue with MY post on My page, but I shouldn't have even had to. Neither of us are 12 years old. We're both grown, damn near forty year old, married adults and parents...so I really don't understand why this bothered him so much, but alas...it did. So once again, I've overshared on social media, it seems. I think, no I KNOW that had I posted something along the lines of, this heat makes my DDD boobs sweat (because any subject dealing with boobs is okay to men) or I had the best sex last night, that would have been acceptable, although it's just as private in nature, as my PMS. He, and men like him, should have a whole stadium of seats. It's a part of life...it happens. 

But, I really want to know: why do posts about periods and/or cramps bother any ADULT in 2015? I'm seriously confused by this. Today, society is obsessed with social media. We share EVERYTHING: childbirths, weddings, funerals, divorces, sex, dates, vacations...we can't let any precious moment in our lives happen, without taking a picture of it, and posting it on social media. Some of us (myself included) can't even eat, without first posting a pic of my meal and showing the world what delicious food I'm about to eat. But apparently, the one thing women aren't allowed to post or talk about, is the fact that she has PMS. I guess I missed that memo...me and the 11,372 (and counting) other women who posted pics on Instagram using the hashtag #Midol. 

I really wanted to tell the guy to grow the hell up, but I kept my response short and sweet, instead...very out of character for me. I really wanted to ask him why my post bothered him, but I know I wouldn't have cared, one way or the other. Because if I want to post about my cramps, bloating, backache, headache, bipolar mood swings, food cravings, or fatigue- all symptoms of my dreadful period, I'm gonna. It's my period, and I'll cry if I want to. (Sing that as if you're singing, It's My Party And I'll Cry If Want To) Men would definitely cry and complain too, if they only had to experience having a period..even once. So fellas, if posts like this bother you, you should probably just quit social media, or avoid being around women who are PMSing for the next 3-5 days...

Why does the genocide of Black people not anger some black people?

Wednesday night, a 21 year old white MAN walked inside Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church- a historic black church in Charleston, SC- and sat among the congregation as they had Bible study. At some point, he opened fire, killing the nine people in the photo above. He left one victim alive- to tell the world what he had done- and a poor 5 year old child played dead- no doubt terrified about what was happening. This shocking mass murder was immediately deemed a hate crime, and when the MAN was apprehended the next day, he not only admitted to the killings, but he also stated his reason for doing so: to ignite a race war, because he felt "Black people are taking over" and in the words of the Racist/Conservative/Republican party: "It was time to take their country back."

Almost immediately, the social media bigots, a*k*a* conservatives, came out in droves, claiming that Dylann Roof- the MAN they'd trained and taught to hate all black people before they sent to kill these people- suffers from mental illness (the same lame excuse they always use) and shouldn't be held accountable for the nine innocent lives he took. They referred to him as a child, who lost his way, while just last year, 18 year old Michael Brown- who was shot several times by a white police officer as he ran from him- was called a grown man, who deserved to die because he "allegedly" stole cigars from a store.

It's sickening, but not surprising, that these bigots find every excuse they can to justify the genocide of the black race- from claiming that Dylann is not even the skinny, scrawny, cowardly racist that he is shown to be in the photo below, to a volunteer fireman saying Dylann should be praised for murdering nine people as they had Bible study. 

Again, it's not surprising to me at all that people like the ignorant heifer who claims that Dylann must be black or mixed with black, because no white guy could ever commit such a violent crime, or the commenter named Gary stating: "he even sat in a black church for a whole hour...something white people would NEVER do," would make statements like these. Unfortunately, we're used to it. But, what does surprise me, are the many black people who feel the need to jump down from their high horses for a second, to get on social media, and tell other black folks that we shouldn't be angry about this, since there is black on black crime happening daily, and we don't get mad about that. To those making this statement, I have one thing to say- FUCK YOU and these racist ass white folks who have brainwashed you into thinking that you're better than the rest of us.

I'm sure everyone,-white, black, yellow, or whatever- is well aware of the fact that there is crime and hateful things happening in ALL races. Yes, I'm sick of senseless black on black killings and I am just as outraged whenever any innocent person's life is taken, regardless of what race they are; but now is definitely NOT the time to look down your nose, telling people what to say or how to feel about this particular incident. I watch the I.D. Channel daily, and there is just as much (if not more) white on white killing as there is black on black, so please shut the hell up with that crap. That's not the issue at hand, right now. We want to know why this white boy was given a gun by his father, who had to be aware that his son wasn't playing with a full deck. We want answers as to why he's already being made to be the victim of his own mental illness, and why the media is more focused on him, than these nine innocent, now deceased, people; we want to know why some white folks blame these victims for their own murders, by saying, "they shouldn't have attended an all black church in the first place"; we want to know why judges, firemen, police officers, and the general public, are supporting him, raising money to help with his defense, and whatever else he'll need, until he somehow walks free after this senseless crime...or he'll sit in jail forever. 

It never fails, that when things like this happen- and it's happening too damn often- black folks are supposed to pray, cry, and call on God to deliver us from this evil, while Dylann's friends and family are planning their next attack. When we bring up valid points about the difference between how black criminals and white criminals are treated, we're accused of race baiting...and some of our own people are the accusers. Wake the hell up! It doesn't matter how cool you are with racist bigots, whether you're married to a white man or woman, or sit and have dinner at their house every night- at the end of the day, they still view you as a Ni**er...the same as the rest of us. Yes, I'm very friendly with a lot of people of different races, too; but I will never look down my nose at my own race of people- especially when we are faced with more and more acts of violence, simply because we are black- ever. And if you fail to understand where our anger and outrage is coming from, you are part of the damn problem.

In the days following this vicious attack, I have read post after post, with BLACK people trying to censor the words of other black people regarding this issue- warning us to take a look at the violence and crimes happening in our own communities- so as not to upset the white people whose asses they bend over backwards to kiss. To that I say again, FUCK THAT AND YOU TOO! They definitely don't and won't censor themselves. I will NEVER apologize for being angry that my people are being hunted and killed, while the rest of the worlds sits and watches, making excuses for it each and every time. There are no damn excuses! We are tired of being killed simply because of the color of our skin. And if you- as a black man or woman- can't understand this, maybe you have that same so-called mental illness that Dylann and the rest of the Klan have...

#CharlestonShooting #BlackLivesMatter...or do they

Happy Birthday to the late, great Tupac

Tupac Shakur

June 16, 1971- September 13, 1996

Today the greatest rapper of all time IMO, would have been 44. Now, let me just put this out there- growing up in the 90's, I was a shy, timid, soft-spoken, bookworm and as square as a slice of white bread. But behind closed doors, I loved me some Tupac. Not because he was sexy and charismatic, but because as a music lover, I actually listened to his words. He was also very intelligent and outspoken, and it's those qualities that sometimes got him into trouble. Unlike the so-called rappers of my 16 year old son's generation, who's raps and rhymes lack any originality and they aren't talking about a thing worth listening to, Pac actually made you listen, whether you liked him or not.

A lot of critics will say he came across as angry and confrontational, but I say he was passionate about his craft, his neighborhood, and issues involving his people- such as police brutality, which we are still dealing with, now more than ever. No, not all of his songs were about sleeping around with multiple women (I Get Around). I was listening to I Wonder If Heaven Got A Ghetto a few weeks ago, and it was almost scary how just about every lyric in that song is what's happening today. Black men and women are being shot down in the streets by police for any little reason, while the police are hailed as heroes for getting rid of the trash, which is how most of them see people of color...black folks are still seen as threats, up to no good in general, and it seems as if our lives don't matter..the same way the store clerk in a liquor store back in the 90's assumed 15 year old black teen, #LatashaHarlins' (who Tupac dedicated and referenced in several of his songs including Keep Your Head Up)life didn't matter when she assumed the girl was stealing (even though she had money in her hand) so the store clerk shot her in the back and head as she turned to leave, killing her. Ring a bell? Just last summer, 18 year old Michael Brown was just killed after allegedly stealing cigars from a store. A confrontation with a police officer led to him being shot several times and left bleeding in the middle of the street. When it comes to black folks, it seems the general rule is: shoot first, and ask questions later.

It's off subject, but again, as I listened to Tupac's song, it was hard not to miss the comparisons, even though his songs were made back in the 90's. Our lives didn't matter to them then, and we don't matter to them now, it seems. When a argument at a pool party ends with a male police officer throwing a 14 year old girl to the ground by her hair and pressing his knees in her back, because she was talking back to him, yet a couple of biker gangs get into a huge brawl, people were killed, and the bikers involved were allowed to sit calmly on the sidewalk while police investigated, there is a huge problem with race and police in this country...and these are things that Tupac made songs about, and would still be making songs about if he were still here; it wasn't all how much money he had, how many cars he had, or how many hoes he banged in every song.

I still remember exactly what I was doing in 1996 when I heard he'd been killed. I had recently graduated high school that May,had just started college, and was lying across the bed in my feelings over a fight I'd had with my boyfriend at the time, so I was listening to the radio and it was announced. Shocked was my initial feeling, but he actually lived that thug/street life that he rapped about. He didn't just pretend to be hard like some of these rap artists (Drake *cough cough*...he's about as hard as my non-existent abs) and he obviously knew that sooner or later, it would catch up to him, and it finally did. Regardless of how he lived though, the world lost a great artist when he left it. And I know there are some people and many conspiracy theories that claim he's still alive and in hiding, but I don't believe all that. I keep Pac alive by listening to his music in my car on my mp3 and the many mix cd's I have made with his music on them. I'm knocking on 40's door, and I'm still a square (and proud of it) but turn some Tupac on, and I'm immediately his gangsta bitch...the Bonnie to his Clyde, riding hard for my man and down for whatever...at least until the song goes off. LOL! #RIPTupac.

Before I go, here my five favorite Tupac songs:

Hail Mary

So Many Tears

California Love

Dear Mama

Keep Your Head Up

Book Review: Forever His Fool by Carla Pennington

I've been slacking on my reading, but I have been writing- currently, I'm working on two different books. And with #OITNB new season, it didn't leave much time to read. But, a friend recommended this one to me and I just finished it. All I can do is shake my head as I prepare to 1click part two.

**Contains Spoilers**

Blurb: 
When it comes to finding love, Paulette thought cupid was in her corner when he sent a long time crush back into her life. Everything is going well until Darryl’s secret comes front and center. Against her family and friends’ wishes, Paulette continues to see him. For the sake of love, she endures his hurt and betrayal. Will Paulette continue through the tunnel of doom with Darryl or will she eventually come to grips and learn the true meaning of love?

Review:

Everybody plays the fool sometimes, I know I certainly have; but Paulette went above and beyond the roll of playing the fool for her married boyfriend, Darryl, who was just a lying, cheating, manipulative snake, in every way. He strung Paulette along throughout the entire book with promises to leave his wife and marry her; everybody knew he was lying and had no intentions of marrying her- even Paulette- yet she still couldn't let him go- even after being confronted by his wife and finding out about him sleeping with yet another woman- in her bed!!! Her girlfriends took her on a trip, hoping to make her forget about Darryl, which is when she met Warren- a seemingly perfect man that women only dream about (but I kept waiting for his true colors to show because all men have some baggage) then, her sister tried hooking her up with her brother-in-law, Grant. Both of these men wanted to wisk Paulette off into the sunset and give her everything she ever wanted, but she was still stuck on stupid...and on Darryl. There was a major cliffhanger at the end of the book that makes me want to read part two, even though Paulette gave me a migraine and made me want to throw my Kindle across the room several times for being such a fool. In the words of Madea- she needed to be punch in the throat for being so damn stupid. 

There were a lot of spelling and punctuation errors throughout, so it could use better editing, but the story was juicy and entertaining. 

Rating:

#Book #Review #CarlaPennington #ForeverHisFool

Ten R & B Remakes That Sound Better Than The Original

I was watching Martin last night, the episode where he busted up on stage in the middle of Jodeci's performance on the Varnell Hill Show (did you miss me). That got me to thinking, sadly, Jodeci has kind of fallen off since the 90's, but nobody can deny that they- especially K-Ci- sang their asses off. Somehow, that thought got me to thinking about songs that have been remade, and how some of the newer versions sound better than the original...in my opinion. So, here's a list of some of my favorite remakes:

1. Since Jodeci was the reason for this post, the first song goes to K-Ci, remaking If You Think You're Lonely Now by Bobby Womack from the Jason's Lyric soundtrack. There's just something about K-Ci's soulful voice, and him throwing in an, "Ooooh yeahhhh," every now and then that has made this one of my favorite remakes. And..he sang this song better than Bobby. Sorry, Bobby. 

2. Still on Jodeci, K-Ci and JoJo's version of Lately, by Stevie Wonder just made me wanna take my panties off and throw them at the radio back in the day. Stevie is the man, don't get me wrong, but there's something about two thugs in baseball caps, gold chains, and Timbs, singing their hearts out to their women, that just did it for me.

3. Allure ft. 112- All Cried Out. I used to wear this single out back in 1997. I had just gone though my first little heartbreak, and this became my go to breakup song. I didn't find out until later that it was a remake by Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam. I listened to the original, but Slim from 112's voice just soothed and comforted me..LOL. 

4. Okay, I just happened to stumble upon this one while I was researching for this post and I have to be honest and say I never knew This Woman's Work was a remake...nor had I ever heard of Kate Bush. She has a pretty voice, but ever since Love & Basketball, when Monica lost her virginity to Quincy, this song was meant for Maxwell and Maxwell only to sing and nobody else. Sorry, Kate.

5. I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston. Dolly Parton is my girl, and I was often compared to her, not because of singing, but because we happen to both be blessed in the chest area. So, I always felt her pain. But Whitney slayed her version of this song from The Bodyguard soundtrack, circa 1992. RIP Whitney. 

6. A House Is Not A Home by Luther Vandross. Okay, this is another one I stumbled upon. For the 36 years I've been living, I thought this was Luther's song. I never knew about Burt Bacharach and when I listened to his version, it's not bad at all. But can't NOBODY beat Luther singing this song. He had the jerri curl at the time, was thickums, and sweated like crazy, but he owned this song. And the fact that he did it live was even better. 

7. And I Am Telling You. A few older women might come for me about this pick, but I'm sorry, I give this one to Jennifer Hudson. Jennifer Holliday made this song a classic back in her day, but the growling and facial expressions were just a bit much for me. However, I was glad to see the two ladies get together and sing this song on the BET Awards several years ago. I still think J. Hud sang better though. Listen to the collaboration and you be the judge.

 

   

8. Joshua Ledet's rendition of James Brown's It's a Man's Man's World will forever go down in American Idol history as being the second best performance on the show...ever! The only other performance I saw that was slightly better was Fantasia's Summertime. I am amazed that this guy is so young, but was able to sang the hell out of this classic and give not only me, but all of America chills. I'm still confused as to why the title of American Idol wasn't given to him then and there. He was so humble afterwards, acting like he didn't just burn a hole in that stage with his performance. 

9. I know I'm about to get a serious side-eye with this one but, Kelly Price's version of the Shirley Murdock classic, As We Lay, is slightly better. I loved this song back in the 80's, but I had to give Kelly props when she managed to hit all those high notes. She's a little cray cray, but she can sang her face off. And I like the little cameo Shirley made in the video. 

10. Boyz II Men's version of In The Still Of the Night by The Five Satins was always one of my favorite songs. I have my moments where I like a good old 1950's song, and when I heard this song back in the 90's, I knew it sounded like a song my grandparents probably listened to, but Boyz II Men mesmerized me with their modern, acapella version.This was back when people actually had real talent and could sing and didn't have to rely on gimmicks to make it in the music business. 

#RAndB #90sMusic #SongRemakes

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Orange Is The New Black stars: Uzo Aduba, Vicky Jeudy, Adrienne C. Moore, Samira Wiley, Laverne Cox, and Danielle Brooks are our gracing the cover of the July 2015 annual body issue of Essence magazine. 

All of the ladies shine as they celebrate being "sexy at any size," while decked out in glam orange evening gowns for the photoshoot. Each of the ladies will discuss what they love most about themselves. The issue is available on newsstands now. The new season of the hit Netflix show starts June 12th. 

#OITNB #Netflix #EssenceMagazine 

People who are more deserving to be called a hero over Bruce Jenner.

Once upon a time, I used to watch The Kardashians on tv...mainly because I was really bored and there must not had been anything else worth watching on tv. But eventually, I came to my senses and realized that I couldn't stomach these people, and I had no interest in watching this family of self-centered, entitled, pompous, arrogant men and women. Even Khloe- the only one I could stand just a little bit- started getting on my nerves. It's like the sisters always tried to one up each other, but of course, none of them would even measure up to Kim. Then, there was Kris- the pimp/mom, who would quickly sell either one of her daughters to the highest bidder on any given day; Rob- the seemingly depressed lone brother, who struggled to find his way in life; and lastly ,the dad (I use this term lightly) Bruce, who never seemed to have much of a say so in anything. As I watched him fly his toy planes- which seemed to be his main source of comfort and entertainment since Kris was too busy pimping out their daughters to pay him any attention- I wondered what it was about him that just seemed a little...off to me.  

Well, I (along with the rest of the world) finally found out what it was about Bruce that seemed weird. He has been carrying a secret since back in the 70's (his Olympic glory days) that he thinks he's a woman living in a man's body. By the time all this came to light, I'd stopped paying these people any attention, but because the media is obsessed with them and anything they do, it was hard not to read about what was going on with them. So, apparently, Bruce did some interview with Diane Sawyer, where he said the new, feminine Bruce would be coming to the world soon. And a few days ago, he finally introduced the world to Caitlyn (his feminine alter-ego).

Now look, I am not one of these uber religious people, okay. I can't even remember the last time I went to church. I definitely believe in God, and that Jesus died for all of our sins, and that one day, He will come back to wipe away all the sin in the world. I don't, however, do organized religion. I feel that a lot (not all) of these preachers/pimps, and church folk are just as crooked and two-faced as us worldly people they like to look down at. So, my issues with Bruce have nothing to do with what's in the Bible- although I do recall reading somewhere (sorry, I didn't memorize the scripture, but you can Google it) that men lying with men is a sin. But then again, we ALL sin on a daily basis...so I'm NOT judging Bruce's (I refuse to call him Caitlyn) lifestyle. More power to him, if he wants to think of himself as a woman. My issue is that just because he waited until he was damn near 100 years old (insert sarcasm) to finally COME OUT, he's being labeled a hero because if it. Again, I realize he's an Olympic champion...from 1976. Let's see, I was born in 1978, so his glory days as an athlete were damn near 40 years ago. (My face just fell as I realize that I'm almost 40). Anyway, I don't see anything he has done since then that warrants him to be called a hero, or receive an ESPY award. (Do people even still care about these)  Per ESPN: Jenner became a national hero when 'she' won the decathalon gold medal with a record-setting performance at the 1976 Olympics. 'She' identified as Bruce Jenner at the time.In announcing the award, ESPN cited Jenner's "athletic prowess and determination" at the Olympics and the "strength of character" that Jenner displayed in her coming-out interview with Diane Sawyer.

Sorry (not sorry), but am I missing something? Again, why is he deserving of an award? Why is this man being hailed as a hero, when there are so many more deserving people, who are truly heroes walking around us; not to mention, he's not the first- and won't be the last- man to want to identify himself as a woman. He is not a hero, in my eyes, and no amount of social media bullying, name calling, threats, damning me to hell, or anything else, is going to change my mind. I can think of a few people who truly are real heroes and deserve the praise the media is giving to Bruce:

Noah Galloway- The former U.S soldier, model, and athlete. He was injured during the Iraq War, losing his left arm above the elbow and left leg above the knee. He was a contestant on the last season of Dancing With the Stars, paired with Sharna Burgess. The pair finished in third place.

Amy Purdy- After contracting a form of bacterial meningitis, the disease affected her circulatory system when the infection led to septic shock,  and both of her legs had to be amputated below the knee. She went on to be a contestant on Dancing With the Stars, and performed some of the most beautiful routines with partner Derek, and in my opinion, she danced as gracefully as some of the pros. She, along with Noah, didn't let their injuries keep them from finding the strength to keep going, despite the fact they'd both lost limbs.

Akon- While most think of him as just another rapper, he's has recently opened a Solar Academy as part of his effort to bring electricity to 600 million people in rural communities across Africa. I find most rappers and hip hop artists of today to be quite shallow, talentless, and vulgar, but when one is actually trying to do something to help someone other than himself, he deserves some praise. Apparently, the media thinks different, since not very much is being said about it. 

All the brave men and women who lost their lives fighting for our country- There are simply too many men and women to name, but I find it hard to believe that Bruce and his family can get more mentions and attention in the news and on social media than the soldiers who fought in wars for our freedom. 

I could go on, but the point I'm trying to make is that while there's nothing wrong with Bruce making the decision to finally stop lying to himself and be the woman he's always dreamed of being, nothing about this is a heroic act that deserves an reward. I think it's quite selfish, actually, that he's known since the 70's that he's not been happy living as a man, but he went about his life, marrying women and having children, then suddenly decides that now is the time to come clean. Yes, his children all seem supportive of his decision to finally come clean, but now- when he has a 17 year old daughter shacking up with a grown man because her dad's too busy transitioning into a woman to give her the attention and guidance she needs- is not a good time to decided to be focused on himself. Those girls are headed down a slippery slope, and neither their mom or dad seems concerned.

America has become so accepting of everything, that people are losing focus on family values and what's really important. I also say that if it weren't for the fact that Bruce is associated with the Kardashian's, nobody would be as interested in an Olympic athlete from 40 years ago making an announcement such as this. Methinks Bruce learned a lot from his fame obsessed wife and step-daughters. He's cashing in on this story, milking it for all it's worth. He even managed to take some of Kim's shine after she announced baby North is going to be a big sister, by broadcasting his, I mean, her new look on the cover of Vanity Fair magazine, right around the same time. Now, nobody is thinking about Kim. I guess he wasn't as much as a pushover as I thought. 

#BruceJenner #BruceNotCaitlyn