When The Coons Come Marching In

This is going to be very hard to write without me sounding like I am about to stereotype, because I'm not, but within the black culture, there is a separation. Amongst that divide, there is one constant variable: Most of us can trace our ancestry back to the hood. That hood can either be the ones worn by the murderers of our father's fathers, or it could be the hood we called home. Regardless, its there, and we have to deal with it. The product of this environment, is the birth of the coon. The ignorant, fearless, brave beacon of hope. Our constant reminder that we have yet to overcome.

This Can't Be Life

I really wish the ignorant mentality would fall off a cliff. There are too many brothers and sisters that just don't care. Brothers don't take pride in the way they carry themselves. For the most part, they just gave up and are unwilling to be better men. The same goes for Sisters too. Way too many of our women have let themselves go and are not being the queens they are destined to be.

Each generation is granted their very own Stephin Fetchit. I wonder if we are the generation that has too many.  This is happening on more levels than just the hood. Even with politics, on one side you have President Barack Obama, and on the other side there is Herman Cain. We just have to do better as a people all across the board.

Get involved with programs in urban communities and your own. Help out these Teen Mothers and children living in broken homes. Little things like this go a long way.

I don't want to be in that number when the coons come marching in.

The Throne: 2011 Victoria Secret Fashion Show (Live)

GQ- Wear It Now

Photograph by Mei Tao


Suit, $1,470 and sweater-vest, $148, Gant by Michael Bastian. Shirt, $108 by Saturdays NYC. Tie, $125 by David Hart & Co. Shoes, $1,750 by Giorgio Armani. Socks, $30 (three-pack) by Lands' End. Scarf, $99 by Smart Turnout. Hat, $20 by Topman. Gloves, $100 by LaCrasia Gloves.

Operation:Dress Code

When I'm heading to school & work, I make the conscious effort to dress for success. I don't have much money, but it doesn't stop me from looking like a million bucks on some days. It's not about how much you spend on your clothes, its how you wear them. Today is one of those days. Check, man make the clothes, clothes never make the man. Went to the thrift store this past weekend with The Hauteness and scored.

Powder Blue Calvin Klein Sweater-$3, EXPRESS Design Studio Pant-$4

Banana Republic Striped Oxford-$3

Oscar De La Renta Tie-$1

Not bad for an $11 dollar outfit...

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"i wake up in my dreams."-Corey Wright

Supernatural vs The Weave & Perms

I said something on facebook last night relating to the fact that most women feel confident when they wear their hair with a weave in it, but most brothers translate weave into "I'm insecure".

I was told this was ignorant and offensive (like I care) but it got me to thinking:

"Are weaves really a neccesity?"

As black people, we always find a way to seperate ourselves. Its always some battle occuring within our race. It's either light-skin vs dark skin, dredlocks vs bald heads, natural hair vs synthetic... WAIT!

Synthetic hair and chemical products are actually something we have control over. I can understand the fued between complextions and skin tones because of The American Complex . I also can see why people choose a preferred hair style, but when it comes to knowingly wanting to put lye and polyester on your scalp and wearing it like an accessory, I just don't understand it.

(It's not for me to understand, but keep reading)

My daughter is 3-years old. At the rate things are going, she's probably going to question why her hair is different than the hair on the dolls she plays with. That's where I step in and will have to say to her, "Your hair is different because you are real baby, and these dolls, they aren't real. so they have fake hair." Would I be wrong in saying that? Nope, not at all. Will she understand that? Of course, my daughter's a genius. I can't change the mindset of every black woman in America, but I don't want to. I do however pray I have an impact on one, my daughter, and that's more than enough.

I'm not trying to bash black women or make them feel any less than the greatness they already possess, I'm just saying, be yourself. BE YOURSELF. Is that too much to ask? If you have a head full of wiry, nappy hair, rock it! If your hair is as thick as cotton, twist it up and get it in. There ain't nothing wrong with being black.  If you feel like you look ugly with the hair God gave you, and you want to put a perm in or sew some weave in, then do you. BY ALL MEANS! If you can feel beautiful with the extraordinary, beautiful, supernatural hair God betowed upon you, you probably can feel beautiful with yaki in your head.

But this isn't about me and what I like, nor is it about what women like. At the end of the day, its all about the kids. Are we really going to raise our kids to believe they have to be synthetic to look good? Are we going to raise your sons to think that a woman is only beautiful if she has light-skin and silky hair? Are our daughters going to feel insecure and ugly because their roots are nappy?

I can't get with that.

So when it all falls down, and we are still grudging with Nappy Hair vs Relaxed Hair/Weaves, the real question is:  "Do we love ourselves enough to be who we are?"


Peace

WE GOT THAT BELLE BUTTERS ON DECK!

There are certain things I don't discuss with my friends, mainly because certain topics never come up. In the midst of talking about the new Drake album, NBA lockout, the Pacman fight, and how the NFL season is going, no one is about to bust out and say, "Yo, what kinda lotion you use fam?" It just doesn't happen in my circle. Granted, that is an inquiry I have never conceived, but lucky me, I have a platform to  brag about what's keeping the chalk off my knuckles.

As a black man, there are certain things that I can not allow myself to succumb to. One main thing is the dreadful plague known as "Ashyness". Yep, I'm a man, but I do care about the condition of my skin, as should any other men. I enjoy looking good, smelling good, and above all, feeling good. Just as much as I pay attention to the food I put inside my body, I have to give the same to what I put on it.

I've been buying the products they have been whippin up at Belle Butters for some time now. Of course, like most brothas, I kept the jar of Palmer's Cocoa Butter on deck, but I have long surpassed the standardized methods and upgraded to some Grade A Shea Butter. They say black don't crack, and the Unyevu Butter will see to it that it doesn't.

(Plus, fellas, if you truly want to make your lady happy, buy her some of the Coconut Butter. TRUST ME!)

It's the winter time, and I can't be walking around looking like I got into an altercation with a bag of flour. If you haven't had the opportunity to check out this product ,don't wait, head over to bellebutters.com and throw it in the bag. Get this in your life, like now.

Peace

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Dear God

Brenda's Got A Baby | R.I.P. Tyler Dasher

Just when I thought the insanity would digress, the aftermath of Casey Anthony's verdict is still echoing in my heart. Yesterday in St. Louis, I find out that 13-month-old Tyler Dasher was found dead in the woods behind a cemetery. His mother, Shelby A. Dasher said she went to sleep Monday night and woke up late Tuesday morning to discover that her child was missing. That story would add up if it came with a + sign. She hasn't been charged with anything yet, but I have a feeling this isn't going to be a good look.

Shelby A. Dasher Facebook Picture

I don't know if its just me, but I feel like as of late, there has been a lot of neglect, abuse, and violence directed towards small children. So sick of seeing these mothers killing their own child. One of the first bible stories I can remember was the one of Solomon's Wisdom. This particular story was with two women, both claiming to be the mother of a child. King Solomon hit them with "Cut the baby in half and give one portion to each mother." Pow, that's how you define what a mother is. One woman who's first child had already died in the middle of the night said, "Cool, let's do it", The other woman said, "She can have the child, just don't harm that baby!" Solomon does what any wise person should do: Give the child to the person that doesn't want that child hurt.

Sounds like common sense, but just like in Solomon's time, we still deal with the issue of mother's having the hearts of murderers. There will always be this epic battle between women having to defend their title as "Mother" with women that don't know their womb from a hole in the wall. Sickening. It's been in the media a lot lately, but this isn't anything new. I can't even pin this on teenage pregnacy though, my mother gave birth to my oldest brother when she was a senior in high school. MTV has made some money broadcasting "16 & Pregnant", like that's the thing to be at 16-years-old, but its older women just as immature as these young girls, and race isn't even an issue with this subject.




Let's not forget, Tupac Shakur hit the nail on the head with "Brenda's Got A  Baby". This song will forever be relevant as long as we ignore the signs of our women and our youth. This song came out in 1991, and 20 years later, it hits very close to home. I'm sending up prayers for all of the families that have been victims of child abduction, abuse, molestation, and murder. The devil is busy. Pray for our children.

Peace.

Can You Keep A Secret?

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Life + Times | Ball So Hard

Asa’s Retro French/Nigerian Soul | MTV IGGY

Asa’s Retro French/Nigerian Soul | MTV IGGY

Vague Flashes

I was blessed this year to help my buddy L-vis 1990 with a spoken word piece for the intro on his debut album "Neon Dreams". A few guys in France got hold of it and created a very awesome remix. One love to The Svens for this LA to NY edit!

L-Vis 1990 — Vague Flashes ft. Corey Black (the Svens's "LA to NY" edit) by the Svens

THE BLACK MAN IN AMERICA: AS SEEN THROUGH THE EYES OF HOLLYWOOD

This post is going to be kind of vague because I really don't feel like detailing too much, so bare with me.

I know this particular topic gets touched on a lot, but I recently posted the picture of Kanye West and it brought up a lot of pondering questions. It seems like we pay too much attention to rappers or artist that hit the stage or film dressed in feminine attire, but what is the root of this? I feel like the black man in America will lose his identity, and leave it up to Hollywood and the governement to decide how we should be as men.

A majority of brothers don't have fathers or father figures. That alone means we have an entire generation of young men that will not know what direction to go into because that crucial entity is absent in their lives. I don't really want to get into all the statistics, we all know the facts. My question is how can we change this? I think I have an answer. Its not the most popular one, but its better than nothing.

I feel like media, Hollywood and the United States Government has destroyed the black community in America, and if not the rest of the world. The people are hurt. The Willie Lynch Letter has proven true on all accounts and its no better time than now to take a stand and uplift the people. President Obama set a great example for the people, but his competition is strong. One black man can't change the world, especially when you have thousands of black men chasing after fame, fortune, and materialistic things.

Click Here To Read Entire Letter

Its a neverending battle. This isn't the 60's, yet we are still fighting for our civil rights (The Murder of Troy Davis). The government has killed a majority of black leaders such as Huey, Martin, Malcolm, Tupac, etc. I feel like the hope is almost gone. It's definitely up to Generation X to take back what is being withheld. We've lived through the Reagan Era, The Crack Epidemic, and 3 wars in the past 30 years.I had the pleasure to attend the Eugene B. Redmond Writer's Club 25th Birthday Celebration last week and was blessed with the inspiration given by Dr. Haki Madhubuti and Amiri Baraka. Mr. Baraka said it best when he explained how he loved what hip-hop stood for but was saddened at how the corporations got it and corrupted it. Dr. Madhubuti also touched me when he remind us that if we don't keep our story alive, no one will.

 Amiri Baraka  | Me

We lost our way somewhere. Spike Lee Joints captured the late 80's, and those cinematic classics got traded in for Tyler Perry Productions. I just don't get it. Black men in America, if you are reading this, we have to take back our communities. We have to stop being so Hollywood and be men. We need to stop putting on the dress and acting like women. We must be men. It gets said over and over and over, but its serious. Our sons need to know what it means to be a man. Our daughters need to recognize what a man looks like and does. If we can do that, just instill a little self-respect, the rest will be easy. We don't need to look at hip-hop stars as role models or for guidance. If you are an artist, then make art for God, yourself, and your people so they can recieve it as a blessing. We have to stop mimicing the things we see on television and the words we hear on radio. Most of it is just poison. We are such a chosen people.

This rant has gotten a little of course, but understand the place where this is coming from. I just want Black Men to take a stand and stop giving in to what the media tells us to do. I used to hear a lot of artist say they wanted to get their songs on the radio, and I would tell them, "They play the same songs on the radio, you should try to be different."

If we are to be artist and express ourselves as such, we need to stop letting Hollywood define us. In other NEWS: we need to start disciplining our children and teaching them about God's will. Let's rebuild Black Hollywood. Let's rebuild Black Wall Street. Let's just get back to a simplier time when men didn't wear dresses.

(P.S.- Sorry for getting off the subject, it happens.)