I really love this guy (not more than Idris, don’t get it twisted). He’s goodlooking and funny. Over on Hulu.com they have some of the episodes and if you have a chance, you should check them out. Dude is funny, seriously.
Archive for the 'Pop Culture' Category
27
Jun
09
What Michael Jackson meant to me
It’s hard to put into words how he and his family’s music impacted my life, but I’ll try.
There are the memories of me and my cousin Chris in his living room playing the Jacksons’ records over and over and over again while Chris drilled it into me that I not only had to learn the lead and background vocals, but I needed to know the drum score, the bass track, guitar riffs etc. and I had to know who was singing and playing what and when. It was my first “music” lesson and it’s how I listen to music now — in layers. Mr. SLS loves that I can dissect a song in that way.
There’s the Jacksons’ Christmas album that Mama SLS has played every year since I was a kid. Christmas didn’t begin until that tape was popped in and the tape was garbled at one spot in “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” so I only know it with the garbled part. I talked about it so much that Mr. SLS bought me a new cd of it 2 years ago and the tradition lives on in our house.
When my parents separated we stayed with my Grandma for two years while they argued it out. During this time, my daddy bought me a stereo for my room at home and the Jacksons albums as well as Off The Wall to listen to — but I couldn’t take them to Grandma’s. When we would go home on the weekends (yes, it was odd to go home to my own house and room and friends) I would play the Triumph album over and over.
Which leads me to the first concert I ever went to — The Jacksons’ Triumph tour. My uncle took me, Chris and our other cousin to the concert and, even though I was 10 and there was no Interwebz, I knew that Randy had hurt his leg in a car accident and was still rehabilitating it on this tour. The best part of the concert was afterward though. We left a little bit early because my uncle wanted to beat the traffic and as we drove down the highway I looked to my right and saw a limousine with the windows down and sweaty men with towels over their heads in it. IT WAS THE JACKSONS!!! I excitedly pointed and told everyone in the car and we all waved and they smiled and waved back.
On Thursday, I called Chris to see if he remembered that, too, or if I had just dreamed it, but he recounted it just like I remembered. When we got back to Grandma’s house (this is while my parents were still divorcing), Chris and I re-enacted the whole concert for our moms and Grandma. LOL!
Then there was the Victory tour. I was at my Granny’s house and my cousin Chris called to say he was going to the concert in our hometown because a friend was taking him along. I had been calling into the radio contests for a month trying to win tickets and I started crying because he would go and I couldn’t get tickets. I called my best friend, Candy (BTW we both had Michael Jackson curls at the time), and we hatched up a plan to run away from home so we could see this concert somehow. Thankfully somewhere along the way we realized that was just stupid, so I called Mama SLS and for the first and only time in my life I TOLD her what to do: “Get me tickets to see Michael Jackson. And do it NOW.”
Rather than slap me through the phone for being cheeky, she actually understood where I was coming from, called Candy’s mom and the two got us tickets to the concert in Knoxville, Tenn., and a week later they DROVE US across various states to see this concert. Candy and I wore our best MJ get ups complete with gloves and all that. I kept the ticket stub, souvenir book and other memorabilia under my mattress for years and years.
I spent a good part of my youth thinking I would marry Michael Jackson. I wrote him letters. I bought magazines and books about him, hung his posters, talked about him incessantly and joined his fan club. It tripped me out that people had to run out and buy his music on Thursday. Real fans, like myself, already had it in the rotation.
My family has been calling me for the past two days because they knew I would be upset about his death. My mother called TWICE to make sure I was OK. She knew. She knew.
I won’t pretend that I wasn’t disappointed about the latter part of MJ’s life. But that’s not the Michael I think of now. I pray for his kids and family as I know this has devastated them.
And I hope that Michael has found peace.
I leave you with this song, Destiny, which even as I kid I always thought spoke to the “real” Michael Jackson. Enjoy.
26
Jun
09
Michael J. Jackson 1958-2009
From VH1:
4.2 million viewers tuned in to see Ray J pick his leading lady on the For the Love of Ray J finale episode. Cocktail was crowned the winner and all seemed great for the happy couple. We next saw them on the reunion episode where both let viewers know they were excited to see how their relationship would progress! Ray J thought he had found “the one” but unfortunately, things didn’t work out – and he’s now single again.As viewers saw last season, dating a hip-hip star is a full-time job which includes red carpet events, the paparazzi and handling all the crazy fans. For Ray J, dating has never been an issue – it’s finding the perfect woman that can be harder than you think… especially when you’re a celebrity. Since things didn’t exactly work out with his last girlfriend, Ray J is back to give love a second chance. As R&B’s most eligible bachelor, Ray J is determined to find a woman he can settle down with.
VH1 is looking for women with confidence, personality and class that can handle the pressure of being with a superstar and turn Ray J into a one-woman man. Beginning today, viewers and fans will have the opportunity to submit themselves for consideration on For the Love of Ray J 2. Online users can log onto VH1’s For the Love of Ray J 2 casting site at www.rayjcasting.com.
They let folks write their own promotional copy over at VH1? Ray J ain’t no R&B superstar. No sir. He is at best a C list “star,” assuming you can be a star on the C list. Before he did the first iteration of this little BS show wasn’t nobody checkin’ for his short azz. This is hilarious to me.
04
May
09
A cartoon I loved as a kid
29
Apr
09
Do you read the new black "lit"?
I put “lit” in quotes because I don’t see Zane and all that prison/oversexed/down low/gotta find a man or dog a woman stuff as literature. Admittedly, I’ve never read Zane. Maybe it’s good. But the titles and the cover art aren’t saying “good writing, good information” to me.
A few years ago I joined a book club. It’s a group of professional young ladies of varying ages and rather then spend time at meetings choosing books, we assigned a meeting leader for each month at the beginning of the year and that person chose the book. Most of the books we read were progressive, many were nonfiction, quite a few examined issues in the black community and all of them expanded our minds and sparked discussion.
We often tried to pair an activity or guest with the book we were reading. For example, when we read one book, we had a henna artist come in and apply tattoos similar to those mentioned in the book. When we tackled a book that focused on religion and faith, we had a minister come in and discuss it with us. When we had a relationship-focused book we invited men in to help discuss issues raised in the book.
Needless to say, I really loved this group, but as people moved on and lives and schedules changed, the group has changed. And as the group has changed so have the book choices. This month they are reading a Zane book. I’m not going to this meeting. While I understand we can’t always read heavy things I find it hard to believe there weren’t other choices between the Bible and Zane.
24
Apr
09
Maybe I’m not so "Obsessed"
I love Idris Elba. YA’LL KNOW I LOVE ME SOME IDRIS ELBA! And there is not much he’s been in that I haven’t seen some fitty-leven times.
But this movie he’s in with Beyonce, I’m not sure I’m going to be able to muster up the gumption to go see that. It looks the hot azz mess. OK, Beyonce looks the hot azz mess in the previews. OK, real talk, I don’t like her as an actress.
I know she’s working on her skills and trying to grow as a performer and everything, but must I suffer the results of the training and learning period? Must I?!!
So unless Mr. SLS (who is not a Bey fan either so this is unlikely) wants to go, I may see this via Netflix or pay-per-view or something.
(except Soca. I do NOT like soca music). Anyways, here’s what’s playing in my head today. Enjoy!
16
Feb
09
What do we teach the children?
This post from THE INTERSECTION OF MADNESS AND REALITY about the Chris Brown/Rihanna imbroglio was one I thought I should pass along.
I didn’t really wanna write or speak upon the Chris Brown “alleged” beatdown on Rhianna. But I have two teenage daughters so I can’t help it; its all they’ve been talking about. As a matter of fact, the 14yr old who is often quite distant and in her own teenage world, came to me last night after I picked her up from the beauty shop, and it was the first topic out of her mouth for discussion.
When I was 21 I went to my (cheatin’ azz all the time) boyfriend’s house to get something and he left for a few minutes to go to the store. This girl I suspected he had been stepping out on me with called and I answered the phone and hung up on her and then sat there steaming and talking myself up to craziness until he came back.
When he came in the door it was ON. I was screaming and hollerin’ and fighting and he was trying to stop me and was pushing me away and we somehow ended up in the kitchen near the stove so I grabbed the teapot off the stove and started beating him in the head with it water splashing everywhere then I bit him in the arm and held on for dear life. WHAT IF HE HAD HIT ME BACK?
We were so loud the neighbor came over to see if I was OK, did I need the police or other assistance. I knocked some more stuff down and left. He still has my teeth marks in his arm. WHAT IF HE HAD HIT ME BACK?
Later we laughed about this, but what if he had hit me back? He was more than a foot taller and weighed at least 100 pounds more than me. WHAT IF HE HAD HIT ME BACK?
I was wrong — I knew he was cheating all along, I should have just broken up with him — but I let emotions and young dumbness get the best of me. WHAT IF HE HAD HIT ME BACK?
But I like what RIPPA’s post says and what he plans to teach his daughters. Check it out.
10
Feb
09
What’s your take on tattoos?
I wish this trend of drawing all over your body would end. I would chalk it up to me being too old, except, I had this same stance back in college when people were getting tattoos. So maybe it’s just that I am not, and have never been, hip or trendy.
Do you have tattoos? What made you get them? Are they visible? Do you regret getting them? Do you plan to get more?
Chorus