Blood Done Sign My Name intertwines 1970 problems with 2010 problems

2010 is the year post racial America officially begins. Obama has served a full year in the white house, with no assassination attempts to date, and blacks and Hispanics have more opportunities than ever before. Although a society where race no longer matters is the ideal, Blood Done Sign My Name, takes audiences back to a time when race meant everything.

The movie, which is set in 1970 North Carolina, tells the story of the murder of Henry Murrow a young black Vietnam vet, who was murdered by three white men, all of whom were acquitted and the resulting violence. Blood Done Sign My Name, based on the 2004 namesake novel written by Timothy Tyson, who was a child when these events occurred effortlessly blends the stories of white supremacy and black struggle in post civil rights America.
Nate Parker, who plays Benjamin Chavis, the 22 year school teacher who becomes the voice of the movement, is well known for acting in other historical films such as The Great Debaters and The Secret Life of Bees. What attracted Parker to this role, were the lessons of leadership and uplifting a community with many despairing statistics in the early 1970’s that still apply in 2010.

“I want audiences to realize that leadership is nothing but a need. That if you see a need in your community, that you need to be able to sacrifice and step into that need,” says Parker.

The Dangers of Youtube

Last week, my sister posted a status about the Twerk Team and I was a little curious. So on this slow, saturday night, I decided to google it. The Twerk Team is three girls, shaking what their mama gave them on camera. I'm not gonna lie, if I could shake it like that, I'd probably show the world too. But in all actuality, how do you come to realize that booty shaking is your talent and you can make money off of it? What in the world? Really, this is what the world has come to. SMH

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.channel&vanity=teamtwerkoffinthisbitch#

Epic Fail: We Are The World 2010

We are living in a time of remakes. And "We Are The World" is no exception. I just feel like, why? The song is a classic and should be left that way. Magic only comes once and that song was magic. I don't understand why, with all those song writers and artists someone couldn't have written a new song. I feel like the ruined this song and it hurt my feelings.

1.) 80+ artists. What is the qualifications of being in the chorus? Relevancy in the last ten years.

2.) Autotune. Do we really want to hear Lil' Wayne sing?

3.) The rap part. Just awkward

VH1 needs to pick better people

First, Ryan Jenkins kills his wife after winning "Meagan  is a gold digger Wants a Millionaire" then an "I Love New York" contestant is convicted of murder. Either VH1's psychologists aren't that good or these people are good actors. But this is the beginning of the end of reality shows. Thank Goodness.

"The Winter Makes People Lose Brain Cells"

If you know me, you know I'm a blog junkie. This story has been all over the blogs for a couple days but this one had me scratching my head:

Authorities said a man accused of stealing a car then reporting it stolen remains in custody after telling police he was robbed at gunpoint while trying to buy crack cocaine with a credit card. The Flint Journal said the man reported Thursday night that a 2003 Chevy Malibu had been stolen. Police reports indicated the vehicle was previously stolen out of Lapeer, about 50 miles north-northwest of Detroit.
The suspect is being lodged at the Genesee County Jail.

Really? This is why you don't use drugs because it ruins your brain cells. First, Whitney wants receipts for her crack now someone wants to charge their rocks. How does that comes up on your bill? Street pharmicist North and Penn?
(I don't curse but this picture was fitting?)

Baby Mama/Mistress is not a Career

Sometimes I feel like Baby Mommas, and Tiger Woods Mistresses, should start a union. Look at Lil' Wayne, who has four kids by four different women and Diddy with six kids by four different women and we're not going to count Tiger Woods' mistresses because I don't feel like it. But I feel like with famous men having multiple baby mamas/mistresses these women need to start a union.

What inspired this, was a video of Kim Porter, Mother of three of Diddy's kids and his bottom girl for 12 years, saying that Misa Hynton was not on her level. Okay... I didn't know baby Mama's had a hierarchy. I thought all baby mama's were the same. You're a baby mama because you opened your legs to a man that didn't marry you. Harsh, I know but sometimes I feel like I should join the club. You mean I get famous, live in a big house, shop all day with six figures a month at your disposal, and I don't have to work. When I look at it like that, I'm like where do I sign up? Look at Nik Pace, the light skinned curly haired girl from Americas Next Top Model 6, she's suing Braylon Edwards for $840,000 a year in child support. For what? First, it doesn't take $70,000 a month to support a child. Let's try $20,000 or less. Russel Simmons makes 7 figures a year and doesn't pay that for two children. Do you deserve six figures because you couldn't go to the free clinic and get a condom or you couldn't spend less than $5 on a condom pack? Don't get mad at me, I'm just saying. I don't know her nor do I know him but I'm just observing.

It also makes me upset when Ashley Alexandra Dupree gets an advice column with the New York Post because of her infamy but millions of struggling writers can barely get a break. Lil Wayne's baby mama's are all taken care of and they get along. What happened to the days when we didn't settle for a career as professional baby mamas? Do we really want to be known as "so and sos" baby mama? Or make a career out of being a mistress. That's not a career because one day that person you're eating off will not be hot anymore and guess what? you're going to have to get a job. And socialite isn't really a job either.

The video: http://bossip.com/212660/kim-porter-talking-shizz-on-misa-hylton-shes-not-even-on-my-level/

Black Men VS. Black Women

Yesterday I received the new issue of Essence Magazine, and sexy Reggie Bush was on the cover but that’s not what this is about but he looks good. Anyway, I was reading an article called “Fool’s Paradise” where the men were speaking about their sexual escapades in the Dominican Republic. It was an interesting article but what threw me through the loop were these men blaming Black women for their actions.


In the story, one man said he went to the Dominican Republic because the women did things that black women never would do. Another man said that “he lost interest in black women” after making frequent trips to the DR. Are you serious? I blame Essence. Yes, Essence because they started this man shortage ish, I don’t curse so you know what I’m saying. They started the “do black men want us anymore” and the other one about Black women aren’t in demand anymore. It’s like dang, being a black woman must really suck right about now.
I hate how we’re always pitted against each other and it’s only in black magazines. When I read cosmo, and I have a short subscription to it, I never see stories about “why don’t white men like white women?;” and white men-Asian women unions are the top interracial union. Yes, even more than white women and black men. Their articles are about how to make relationships/sex better. Not why are we single. I feel like we focus on the wrong things. We are making more money but now we’re single. It's a mess and it's created by the media. Black women are wanted. Italian Vogue created an entire issue full of black women and spanish men love us. And not just the light skinned ones but all of us. I suggest
If you have read my writing, you know how I feel about Black people relations. I feel like we are some of the most loyally disloyal people ever. When I say that, I mean we expect loyalty, as every race should, but we are some of the first people to abandon our race once we “make it.” Or we’re expected to marry each other but we’re the first people to say what the opposite sex in our race does wrong. Sometimes I feel like “can black people get along?” I mean really get along.

First, black women stop dogging your men. Please, he doesn't want to hear it. I don't mean be a doormat but if he's a good man support him.

I thought I would share the wealth of Reggie Bush. He is too sexy, sorry men I know you don't want to see it.

Oscar nominations 2010: Precious

Congrats to the cast of Precious. The movie received five nominations, one for Lee Daniels, Mo'Nique, Gabby Sidibe, and for the screen play, and best movie. This is proof that God is good because this movie was built on faith. This is also special for Gabby because this is her first film, few first time actors/actresses get nominated on their first film. So again, congrats to them.

Here are a list of major nominees:

Best Picture

Avatar

The Blind Side

District 9

An Education

The Hurt Locker

Inglourious Basterds

Precious

A Serious Man

Up

UP in the Air



Best Director

James Cameron, 'Avatar'

Kathryn Bigelow, 'The Hurt Locker'

Quentin Tarantino, 'Inglourious Basterds'

Lee Daniels, 'Precious'

Jason Reitman, 'Up in the Air'



Best Actor

Jeff Bridges, 'Crazy Heart'

George Clooney, 'Up in the Air'

Colin Firth, 'A Single Man'

Morgan Freeman, 'Invictus'

Jeremy Renner, 'The Hurt Locker'



Best Actress

Sandra Bullock, 'Blind Side'

Helen Mirren, 'The Last Station'

Carey Mulligan, 'An Education'

Gabourey Sidibe, 'Precious'

Meryl Streep, juli and julia



Best Supporting Actor

Matt Damon, 'Invictus'

Woody Harrelson, 'The Messenger'

Christopher Plummer, 'The Last Station'

Stanley Tucci, 'The Lovely Bones'

Christoph Waltz, 'Inglourious Basterds'



Best Supporting Actress

Penelope Cruz, 'Nine'

Vera Farmiga, 'Up in the Air'

Maggie Gyllenhaal, 'Crazy Heart'

Anna Kendrick, 'Up in the Air'

Mo'nique, 'Precious'



Best Animated Feature Film

'Coraline'

'Fantastic Mr. Fox'

'The Princess and the Frog'

The Secret of Kells'

'Up'



Best Original Screenplay

'The Hurt Locker'

'Inglourious Basterds'

'The Messenger'

'A Serious Man'

'Up'



Best Adapted Screenplay

'District 9'

''An Education'

'In the Loop'

'Precious'

'Up in the Air'

I almost forgot...

My favorite moment of the Grammy, that I just saw 30 seconds ago: Jamie Foxx' sister almost falling doing the Matrix. Interesting...

Jamie Foxx' perfomance was already an example when too many ideas and no focus goes wrong. Let's count what was going on:

*The opera singing
*the orchestra (for a party song, really?)
*T-pain (he deserves his own post)
*Dougie Fresh (random)
* His sister and the matrix. That's the first time anyone has done the matrix in at least five years.


I feel like Jamie should have kept it simple. I understand it's the Grammy's and people want to go all out becasue it's a rare opportunity, but it was too much going on. It was a simple song about enjoying a party so why not have fans on stage in a party atmosphere? But what do I know?

The Grammys: a rundown

Last night, I alternated between the pro bowl and the Grammy's and I have to say I don't know if I was impressed with the Grammys.

Lady Gaga scares me and is that Elijah Kelley from Hairspray? Anyway, I respect that she gives everything she has to her performances but she scares little kids and me. Gotta give her points for creativity.

 

What was Sasha Fierce/Beyonce doing? The army men thing was random. They didn't really do anything. Also, why would she perform "If I was a boy" when she has all these other high energy songs. My favorite part was her shoes and the "You Oughta Know" part. Other than that, it was completely random, especially her rolling around on the stage. But Beyonce does give everything she have.

Maxwell and Roberta Flack did good. That's all I really have to say about that. I don't know if that's good or bad.

Wyclef Jean's presentation was random. I understand the creole thing, well kind of, not really. It was random and gave me a headache.

 The Michael Jackson Tribute at the Grammys, um okay, we're gonna keep this one moving because it was good but it wasn't that great. They should have danced. I feel like MTV did the best tribute. I also know that Michael is rolling in his grave because his children are in public now. Paris looks really grown up and pretty right here. Everyone knows they're looking for black blood in these kids. You won't find it.

Congrats to Taylor Swift who took home album of the year. Kanye was nowhere to be found because he was banned from the ceremony, although he won an award with Jay-Z and Rihanna. Taylor should really think Kanye because few people, outside of the country music community, knew who she was before the incident.

Solange's son, Juelz who im 100% sure does not have the last name Knowles, went one stage with Jay-Z and Rihanna. He was too cute but Solange wasn't invite?  For some reason, I think Beyonce may think Juelz is her son or may be a bit overbearing. I'm just saying where was his mother. No, Jay-Z is not his father.

Drake had the biggest come up-ever. He went from being a deal-less child actor, to one of the biggest MC's in less than a year. If you did not watch Degrassi, you didn't know who Drake was, now he's played back to back on radio. I loved his performance because I knew he was young, hungry, and grateful to be there. He's not an artist who expected it. I wish he won the Grammy though because he genuinely deserved it. Also, why does Eminem look like he's confused at to why he's on stage?

Bonus Moment:

Beyonce telling Jay-Z how much she loves him in her acceptance speech and his look of shock. I remember when they wouldn't acknowledge they were together. How sweet. I added the pic because I think its heartwarming to know these two really love each other.

That's all I really have to say. I haven't really watched the Grammy's since 2005 because I wasn't interested. But it looks like fun.

Here's a link to the winner list:

http://music.msn.com/grammy/2010-winners/story/feature/?gt1=28102