4th of July- Chicago Style

Snap, crackle and pop! I went to the Chi for Independence Day 1. because I didn't get enough of the city when I went earlier this summer 2. because Michigan sux balls and 3. to visit my lil homie, Tracey.

I went with Tony, Emily and Che...four hours in the car with these clowns, especially Lache makes you a stronger person at the end of the day, lol nah they were coo and I had a good time. We were supposed to leave at noon but Che didn't get there til thirty after which caused me to participate in the CP time too and we didn't end up leaving campus til after 1...womp! But we go there safely and surprisingly traffic wasn't bad so I can't really complain (although I probably will).

We got to Chicago and realized everybody and they momma from the state of Michigan was there so it really wasn't a get-a-way but more like a four hour field trip. We hit up the Cheesecake Factory and after being there countless times I STILL haven't had a slice of cheesecake from there because I'm not paying $7+ for a sliver of dessert. The food was good until later on that night when I had food poisoning or something. Ish hurt so bad I actually tried to make myself throw up but iFailed big time so I just suffered the rest of the night. We ran into Ryan, Will Bos, Donnie, Chika, and Trav randomly and they were drunk as hell. So i basically lived my night vicariously thru them since I just wanted to curl up into the fetal position. And that's exactly what I did when I hit the couch.

We didn't see the fireworks. We didn't sight-see. We didn't go to the Taste. And we didn't do touristy things. But we did club, we did go shopping, we did almost get hit by a reckless [Chicago] driver and I did get toasted beyond belief so I would say it was a pretty great time.

Where's the Funny!?!

Aight so I just saw this video today and iDied...ish is that funny. I had a good laugh so I hope you will too. I couldn't embed the video so you're gonna have to do it the old-fashioned way and follow the link. -----> click me, I'm funny (Funny)

Check me out!

I'm gonna try something new and try to update the blog with new and upcoming things whether it be music, fashion, people, etc.

To start this topic off...I'm gonna start with something old yet new. This is a website I just recently was made aware of. It's the site for my boy Ayo. You may or may not know but outside of doing waaaay too much at UofM he is a poet. And he's actually dope (if you've heard any of his work you would know). Anyway, he just got a site so people can check out his craft. He has some of his work on there so you can listen to it for FREE and then you can also buy his new CD he just released on there too. So check it out at Ayo In Motion BOO-YAH...and enjoy!

I'm TRILL Homie

Aight so if you didn't know I want to go into marketing and promotions after college. I plan on working in the entertainment industry speciafically the record industry along with nightlife i.e. clubs. Me and BJ aka B Jax aka Brittney plan on starting our own firm also. This of course after we get our capital and experience up but it's a goal nonetheless. In order for me to do this I am currently working with Trill Entertainment. For all of yall who don't know this is the record label Boosie and Webbie, among other artists, are on.

I just started working with them about a month or so ago and so far no complaints. But I do need your help and so let me know what you think of their music. If you haven't heard...Boosie is coming out with a new album entitled "Superbad: Return of Boosie Badazz." So far he has two singles out Loose As A Goose and Better Believe It ft Jeezy and Webbie. So check out the links and just let me know what you think by leaving a comment on this post-good or bad lol.

(You can also join the Facebook Group and lemme know what you think about Trill as a label, their artists or their songs. Since Trill is an independent label you can trust that yo opinions do matter and it'll get back to the label through me..yea boi!)

But 4real gimme yo opinions so I can do my job! haha

Recently Played (On My iPod)

Hood Music- Right now I'm feeling Ice Cream Paint Job by Dorrough. Honestly it has no substance but it has a nice beat and I can vibe to it. If he sounds familiar he's the same dude that sings Walk that Walk.

Oldie- I was randomly listening to 92.3 and The O' Jays came on. I can't say I'm a fan because I never followed their music like that but I do know a few songs of theirs and this my friend is my sh*t!





Random- So it's a tie between these two songs. If you've seen Juno then you've heard "Anyone Else But You" and if you listen to gospel music or saw the BET Awards then you've heard Mary Mary's "God In Me." So I'm gonna go ahead and post both of them. I like the first song because it represents my silly personality. Although I'm a critic of religion as an institution, I'm still a believer and the second song shows that plus the song bangs!

Anyone Else But You



God In Me

BET: Do Better

So here's my issue with the Black Entertainment Television network. First for years they have focused mainly on depicting stereotypical images of the same people they are supposed to be representing. The countless hours of music videos that are played (or that was once played seeing as I haven't been a frequent viewer in quite some time) is ridiculous. Videos of blacks glorifying sex, violence and drugs in the morning, noon, night and every where in between that.

I need the station to promote positivity while also showing an accurate representation of Black people. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy watching music videos from time to time but after a while it becomes overbearing. I don't even think BET has its news show any longer. Outside of short clips that highlight some major event every once in a blue moon the station doesn't educate its viewers on the news. Yea I understand it's Black ENTERTAINMENT Television but when you are rarity such as this network you have a bigger responsibility.

The entertainment is cool but educate, inform and inspire our people. Give them a reason to want to do something with their lives outside of becoming a rapper or singer. Stop glorifying and reinforcing the negative images set upon our people. Videos that constantly portray our women as sexual objects and men as violent thugs and social deviants. I loved the idea of College Hill but as I watched it I realized they seldom showed the students in school. However they focused on the drama and the beef between the roommates.

Lastly the lack of originality within the network saddens me. It makes it seem as if Black people don't have the power to create, invent and expound upon things because of their programming. "College Hill" seems like a spin off of "The Real World", "106&Park" "TRL" and even this new show I saw today "Tiny and Toya" looks very familiar to "The Real Housewives of Atlanta."

I applaud the effort of the station because at times it does seem to attempt to create positive but then there's the numerous images they depict that nullifies it all. BET stop claiming to be the "Black station"if you don't step up to the plate and act as such. The Black experience encompasses more than just an entertainment aspect, our culture is richer and runs deeper than that.

The D

Hmmm let's see what I can rant about today. Well the weather as of late sucks. It's kinda like a reflection of Detroit lol. Don't get me wrong I love my city, born and raised here but things are looking pretty dim for the Motorcity/Motown. I don't know if either nickname is appropriate for the city. I haven't seen the true Motown except for in history and the building (which I believe is on Grand Blvd). Outside of that Detroit is no longer the epicenter of music like it once was. It is a thing of the past which can be recalled through listening to old albums of the number one hits. And Motorcity. The only positive thing about that name nowadays is the casino on Grand River. The Big Three are no longer so big, all trying to survive this recession and the end of the Industrial Age. These car companies employed thousands of people and seemed to hold the very fabric of Michigan's economy together and with its absence we can see how well things are turning out.

In addition to white flight, the brain drain and an absence of retailers and quality education Detroit is looking pretty glum. The only thing it seems to be doing well in is unemployment, violence and terrible schooling. BUT even with its flaws I must point out the positive because the city and the people are honestly great. If you've made a trip to Downtown lately you'll notice how things have changed within the last 5 years. It is actually looking like a downtown rather than a bunch of abandoned buildings. The museums seems to be flourishing and the schools in the area seem to be doing well (Wayne State, Creative Studies school, of course Cass Tech [lol] and a new school for the arts is being built down there). I love driving around downtown. You see the Fox and the sports arenas . Then you go down a little further and you're passing the People Mover and on both sides there a new stores surrounding you. And on top of those are lofts and condos for people who have faith in the city and want to be in the midst of it. You pass more clubs, stores and restaurants until you hit a dead end. Cobo is to your right and if you make a left you'll be riding alongside the river with the newly renovated riverfront. You can see the Windsor skyline in the distance and Belle Isle is a few miles down.

The city has potential and lots of it. There is beauty in Detroit, you just have to know where to look.