Chris Brown Fails Epically Yet Again With Violence Riddled Trailer for 12 Strands

By Seattle Slim

I was over at Crunk and Disorderly and noticed that it was a teaser/trailer for some abomination called 12 Strands featuring Chris Brown. At first, I wasn't going to click on it. Then again, I decided that Chris Brown seems to invite fuckery. So I clicked and was assaulted by this:


12 Strands (Matrix) Teaser from Gloob Marketing on Vimeo.

*Blinks*

Now, my first question is, why would someone in his position--having been convicted of domestic violence and still generally seen as a pariah despite his coalition of the naive and gullible--be engaged in various acts of physical violence in a trailer?

I realize that Chris Brown stans will see nothing wrong with this, but then again, what afflicts them is out of my psychology textbook, so we might as well leave their opinions to science. For those of us who are not bamboozled easily, this video comes as no surprise. It, for those of us who weren't fooled by some tears, whining, a Messiah complex and a silly bow tie, gives credence to our warnings and our understanding of this grown ass man who has yet to show the masses some semblance of growth.

In this trailer, Chris Brown can be seen engaging in his usual "I am so troubled and persecuted" dramatics, but he goes on to do some serious fight scenes, complete with hooks to the freaking dome! Rihanna game proper, eh, Chris? Then, he engages in a lusty kiss with some model, while another model watches. He sure does respect the ladies!

A little misogyny, a whole lot of violence and some inner turmoil. Sounds like he grew up. We should TOTALLY give him a chance, because he's young and he's changed, right?

This would be like a convicted drug dealer or addict putting out their own bootleg version of Scarface. Is this something that someone who is on a quest for self-improvement after a brutal crime would do? The fact that Mr. Brown sees fit to engage in this foolish and vain trailer at this juncture in his "career" shows that he does not have the ingredients or the brain power necessary to succeed.

At the end of the day, I thought the kid was a mediocre singer at best, and he was unattractive to me. I was never wowed by the kid, so I've no special reason to see his career ruined. I never supported it in the first place. And as for me personally forgiving him, that would mean that I would have to give a damn about the guy on a personal level. However, from the consumer aspect, Chris Brown has just shown us with this little video that he is incapable and unworthy of being a celebrity that is celebrated and showered with accolades.  To hell with anyone else, I am talking about Chris.

Either he is plain stupid, his PR is out to sabotage him or he just doesn't give a damn.  Of course his stans will enable him long enough for him to have a little money to live comfortably, but he can kiss world domination  and a global empire goodbye.  While that cat was sleeping, Justin Bieber came up, and took all his work.  And honestly, he could've stood some semblance of a chance, but engaging in behavior that would be conducive to putting out tripe on video, is exactly why Chris Brown won't ever be what he once was. 

We all know the name of the game in the industry.  Don Imus and Dog the Bounty Hunter are good examples of this.  And those are just the white guys.  There have been plenty of embattled black artists who did some public penitence, T.I. comes to mind with his MTV specials, who've gone on to keep the money flowing and keep it moving.  Hell, Kanye will still make money after assaulting white people's favorite white girl, Taylor Swift, verbally last year.  That, to white folks, was worse than anything Chris could've done to Rihanna.  You know, Taylor was a sugary, sweet blonde haired, blue eyed country singer.  They would've lynched 'Ye if they could've... Fuck a Rihanna.  Penitence and some time away does a career good in this industry.  It's not like the American masses are that much smarter than Chris Brown's most rabid fans. 

I want him to join Mel Gibson (and a couple of other knuckleheads that are too many to name) on a barge to some tiny, uninhabited island in the South Pacific and stay there bashing each other into the sand...

Mel: "Chris, if you get raped by a pack of n****rs, it will be your fault!"


Chris: *punch* *kick* *slap*

I see a match made in heaven. Roman Polanski can film the entire thing, and it will be all good.

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Kelis: My hair-spiration (and a bit of an inspiration)

I say Kelis is only a bit of an inspiration because I usually don't look up to celebrities often, but Kelis is on my list of people I "fux" with.

It's been unfortunate to see her not get the recognition she deserves. It seems like music and musical lemmings forget her because she's black, but let Gaga get on the scene and it's "refreshing." I can't even understand that. I think there's room for them all, and they all have their own lanes, albeit with similarities.

I've been listening to Kelis' new album, Flesh Tone, today and I've been pleased. It is not the best I've heard in the way of dance/electronica/trance, but it's solid. I'm actually very proud of her for going over and trying an album that is totally new for her, not just flirting with something new.

"4th of July (Fireworks)" is my favorite, although "Acapella" is very nice. The others are pretty good, but not great, and that's okay, because this is the same reaction--actually I was less impressed to be honest--I got with Gaga's album (or her redux of it).

While I miss her sick afro, I'm liking this Kelis, far better than the one who sold out in 2006 with "Bossy." I liked that song, but I knew it wasn't Kelis. I think this is what has made it difficult for her. That detour in 2006 wasn't helpful for her now.

Can I just say how AWESOME her 'fro was in "Young, Fresh N New"? DAMN!!!



(Her hair starting at 1:33 gives me life!)

Check out Flesh Tone if you want something different and a little more organic than the pop bullshit out there. It's not superb, but it works, and it's way better than anything Lady Gaga has put out (with the exception of "Telephone". I like that one lol).

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What's With The Rabid Chris Brown Fans?

Attention Chris Brown stans: I'm waiting for you, you hear me? I see you on all the blogs, especially after Mr. Brown's performance at the BET Awards, going off on anyone that does not and did not fall in awe at the feet of your messiah. The attacks are always the same fare:

"Get a life!"

"He still makes more money than you!"

"He still has adoring fans."

"Your blog sucks!"

Oh, I am so ready for your rabid, yet ineffective vitriol. Bring. IT. ON. I'm letting you know right now that while Mr. Brown might have more in his bank account than I do, and has a cult of zombies who would eat their own mothers' brains if he so much as hinted at it, and all that jazz, at least I don't have a criminal record thanks to giving a beat down to a defenseless person who was smaller and frailer than me. No misdemeanors and no felonies on my end. No, sir...

On a serious note, I'm hoping to prevent a lot of the drama that unfolds in the comments sections
whenever anyone has the "nerve" to mention anything about Chris, even if it's not unkind. It can never be kind enough, if you ask his fans. Even women who have been previously abused themselves, came to his defense, and in effect showing that they are still mentally abused, even if they've escaped the physical abuse.

I'm not here to question whether or not Chris was sincere or not. I almost think it's inappropriate to do so. I don't care enough to rip someone's brain apart in that way. I hope he was sincere and I hope that his "breakdown" is a sign of better things to come for him. However, it doesn't mean that I or anyone else should automatically give him a pass or forgive him for his actions. If anything, I think he was a day late and a dollar short. Had we seen this type of emotion on his part after his attack and abuse came to light, he might have stood a chance. Instead he retreated into the enabling of people whose collective self-esteem is suspect to me.

It's almost hard to do so, because I feel like I am joining a group of people that have always been on his side, even when it was clear that he hit a woman. I just don't want to join that chorus because it appears to me that their forgiveness was never earned, it was always there, waiting and eager. They often speak about forgiving Chris, and go on to remind us that we all sin--as if we didn't know this already--so therefore we should forgive easily and quickly.

Then you have the fans who are quick to play the race card. "Man, y'all are harder on a brotha than white folks. We should forgive him because it's hard for a brotha out here." This is disingenuous because no one has been more accommodating and more forgiving, even after the pictures of Rihanna's battered face came out, than his primarily black audience--which is tragic in and of itself. Are we supposed to support every black man or woman who has done something wicked just because they are black?

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Is Naomi Campbell Protecting a Tyrant?

Why is this grown ass woman lashing out like my two year old, especially if she has nothing to hide?

During an interview with ABC News, the phone-slinging supermodel became angered when asked if she had ever received a "blood diamond" from deposed African despot Charles Taylor.

Campbell, 39, has been accused of being gifted a large "blood diamond" from the ousted dictator, who is involved in an international controversy involving the jewels, as well as crimes against humanity.

"I didn't receive a blood diamond and I'm not going to speak about that," Campbell barked before storming off and punching the camera in the producer's hands.

Prosecutors in the Hague in the Netherlands for the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone told ABC that Campbell has refused to be interviewed about the allegations against Taylor. He has been accused of possessing uncut diamonds that were used to fuel a campaign of terror, which involved killing and amputating thousands of people in Sierra Leone between 1997 and 2001.

"The diamonds made possible the continuation of the conflict but they also profoundly profited Charles Taylor," said a prosecutor involved in the case.

Campbell's association with Taylor was brought to light by actress Mia Farrow, who told prosecutors that she heard the model describe a "huge diamond" she had received from the dictator.



Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2010/04/23/2010-04-23_naomi_campbell_throws_a_punch_storms_out_of_heated_interview_with_abc_news_.html#ixzz0lwoB2ZSI

The article goes on to state that she has not been helpful in this ongoing investigation that could hel bring Taylor to justice.

If he didn't give her the diamond, it should be easy enough to dispel the rumor, right? Seeing her lash out like this instantly brings me to the conclusion that she actually received and accepted a diamond from that tyrant, and that's bothersome.

I know that Naomi, like us, is pretty far removed from her African roots. I mean, it's been centuries. Sometimes that history gets lost in just trying to survive. It becomes a thing of the past compared to the very real ties and cultural bonds we've formed in our new countries and lands. With that said, it's not hard to be sympathetic to our cousins, especially when the world at large has not. If we don't care, who will?

I'll be damned if I accept a diamond from someone who is killing my distant kin. PERIOD. And as a human being, I'll be damned if I contribute or support the murder of men, women and children.

This is why my wedding ring is not made of diamonds, and the one I want to upgrade to is palladium. I even researched that to see if its thorough, and I what I turned up was something to keep an eye on, but it's not a conflict mineral either.

Shame on Naomi, if she accepted that diamond.

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Is Lourdes Leon (Madonna's Daughter) a Little Too Grown?

What is going on with the kids today? Am I the only one that is super irritated when I see these little people running around the place, without dues paid, but dressing the part?

I guess I don't get it.

Take Madonna's lovely tween daughter Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon for instance.

She is very pretty and I love this outift...just not on her. Not to say it doesn't look good on her. It does. That's the problem. That's something I would wear, and Mr. Slim can tell you that I'm not very conservative when we go out and I'm hoping to be ravished when we return.

I didn't see many adults complaining about this, so I definitely feel like I'm in the minority.

At first I was irritated with Hannah Montana's antics, but then again, at 17 years old, I wasn't dressing that better, although I WAS out of my mother's house and had started on a career in the military.

I can work with 17 years old... I guess.

13 years old? I don't want to see that.

Like T.I. said, "Whatchu know about dat?"

Yes, Lourdes. Whatchu know about that, girl? *raises eyebrow*

Fishnets, extra short dress....*side eye*

I guess....

What do you guys think? Am I being an old head or am I being reasonable?

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The Problem With Solange Knowles...

I've come to the conclusion from reading comments at various black blogs, that the problem a lot of black women have with Solange has little to do with being Beyonce's sister, or even slightly bratty. It had everything to do with her being "different" and embracig an "otherness" that seems to transcend race.

You're going to have the women who have issues with her because they have colorism issues. We're taking those women out for the time being.

People took issue with her "glowsticks" persona or they chide her for "trying too hard." One woman even mentioned that everytime she saw Solange without her long hair, she thought of a God awful film, "Juwanna Man."

And? What exactly has she really done that's irritated people? When she cut her hair, they said she was doing it for attention. They said her head looked funny, and bitched and moaned about this woman's hair.

If she wears something odd or different, they're quick to say that they don't like her and then make fun of her wardrobe, while praising the ridiculous shit others wear, like Rihanna or Amber Rose.

Rihanna is safe because we know she's faking it, and Amber Rose is white. We all know how black women, in this country especially, have been conditioned from jump to covet white women for everything from hair to status. Amber Rose could wear fig leaves, and it would be cool. If a fellow black woman does it, all hell breaks loose.

Perhaps I take issue because the same happened to me. Always a little different, some women could not stand me for reasons other than me being different, and shirking the social norms they expected of other black people.

When I got to know some of them, and vice versa, we realized that we weren't so bad, and I took my place as the goofball/comedy relief/odd one in the bunch. You should always have an "odd one" in the bunch. We're a wealth of trivia and philosophy that hits you like a Mack truck. I digress (lol).

I am no a Beyonce or Knowles stan. I have my issues with those people, but Solange's neon tights, lowboy and furry coat are not any of those issues. Black people for some reason have bought into this lie, myth, that black people are this monolithic mass of people that all like certain music, foods, culture and subjects. And it's unfair to the youth for us to perpetuate this myth.

My personal opinion is we should call anyone to the table who takes issue with our "odd" brethren and sistren. We should not let them get away with making fun of anyone for being different. We should not let their ignorance go unchallenged.

Why? Because when non-blacks try to typecast us we get mad. We damned sure better get mad when blacks typecast one another.

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Solange Knowles' Bold "Statement", Whether She Likes It Or Not

Solange Knowles is no stranger to the lowboy. She has admitted to having done a TWA (teenie weenie afro) at 16 and 18 years old. There are photos to corroborate that as well. She decided to go short again, and of course, asshats like Lil dick Bow Wow took to their twitters to talk about it (from Sandra Rose):

Bow Wow, who once dated Solange when they were young’ns, wrote on his Twitter page:

as artist aint we pose 2 stand out from 1 anotha and be creative? so y err female rnb singer falln behind the next wit dis bald shit?

Translation: “As artists, aren’t we supposed to stand out from one another and be creative? So why is it that female artists, who are struggling to stay relevant, copy other wannabe’s like Amber Rose by going bald?”

In another tweet, Bow Wow wrote:

F*** wrong wit all deez chix cuttn they hair wantn to be boyz n shit! yall gotta CUT that out! dnt wanna look at u and u lookn like me gnr

Translation:

“What is going on with all these young ladies today cutting their hair and carrying themselves like men? Stop that! As a man, I don’t want to look at you and see myself in your reflection.”

Solange responded on her Twitter page by saying:

listen. if. i. wanted. to. make. a. statement. i. would. have. twitpic’d. photo shoot. ect. i. was. simply. taking. my. son. to. school. stupid. paps. took. pic. ive. had. my. hair. cut. like. this. for. two. weeks. i. was. NOT. inspired. by anyone. but. my. self. i. have. done. this. twice. in. my. life. i. was 16. i was 18. did. not care about your opinion. then. dont. care. now. dont. need. your. attention. or. your. co-sign. dont. want. a. edge. up. or a perm. because. im not trying. to make this “a style” or a statement. i. just. wanted. to. be. free. from. the. bondage. that. black. women sometimes. put. on. themselves. with. hair. this. phase. of. my. life. i. want to spend . the time. the energy. and the money. on something else. not in the hair salon. im. not. mad. at . all of you. that have made your opinions known. and have sent negative. energy. my way. i expected this of you. you. have. the right to have. an opinion. so. do. i.

*sigh*

What Solange fails to understand is that when she DOES something like that, something considered so bold in an American society that values long, blonde hair over short, kinky hair, she IS making a statement, whether she likes it or not. She knows this, but in an effort to not DEAL with the statement, she's gone on the attack.

Whether Solange likes it or not, she's influenced many people with this bold choice of hair. Being the sister of the Weave GODDESS herself, Beyonce, this is seen as something courageous and outrageous because she was not influenced, obviously, by her sister's fair of showing her own damned hair.

Really. When was the last time you saw Beyonce's real hair? Thank you...

She doesn't have to be a martyr, because plenty of black women have taken the plunge, but she does need to understand that as a celebrity she has an obligation. It's really not something she can change unless she leaves the limelight.

OWN the freakin' decision, Solange. I may not be able to get through to the masses of black women who make comments like, "I want to go natural, but I don't have the courage" or "I will go natural...some day," but YOU can.

And you have...

And you need to appreciate what you've done.



Of course there were those afflicted with a lack of pedigree, who called her a "cancer patient" and said she looked like a "man." You name it, they said it. Nothing really surprises me anymore when it comes to black folks and the self-hate disease afflicting us. They were so quick to praise Amber Rose for her short hair, but Solange looks like a boy. This further convinces me that we need a miracle, some INTENSIVE counseling from Dr. Phil or a movement to help drag some of our folks out of this MIRE they have entrenched themselves in.

This is not a rant on relaxed hair, or anything like that. Do you! This is a rant on those who willingly engage in taking a sister down for her choice to go natural. When will this ever end?

When we have more artists like Solange, willing to jump in.

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When I'm Feeling Blue, All I Have To Do...

Is take a look at you, Josephine!

I would say this video is the closest thing to a dream sequence of mine that anyone could ever get. I love her! I have a write up about Princess Tam Tam and how it rings true today coming up as well.

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How Not To Wear an Afro...

What are we going to do with this, Little Mama? *smdh*

Little Mama wore her relaxed hair blown the hell out to pull off the afro look. No. Fussing up your hair does not an afro make, madam!

You can't have it both ways, unless you wear a weave. Of course, you guys know that I'm biased in encouraging her to go natural. :)

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Rihanna Shows Nipple Pasties: Crying Out For Help? Relevance? What Is It, Child?

When I saw this pic yesterday (and others) at Necole Bitchie, I sighed with annoyance. It's so funny because I had just heard "Disturbia" on the radio that day. Has anyone ever told Rihanna that she cannot sing? I mean depending on the song, she can do something, but for the most part, ambitious R&B songs are NOT her forte. I digress...

The deejays said that Rihanna is one of those celebs that you have no idea why the are famous, and you forget why if you do know, because they take tons of pretty pictures. I will give her that. She should definitely model.

With that said, I see this picture and it makes me feel a little sorry for her. Why use the pasties? We've already seen most of EVERYTHING you've got from your unwisely taken pictures for Chris Brown. Okay, okay, so she's trying to preserve some modesty, but why?

The problem with Rihanna is she doesn't even know why she's famous anymore. She doesn't care. She gets nice clothes, she takes pretty pics, people talk about her and that's it. She's too busy looking pretty. What's disappointing is that she had an opportunity to show her stuff, especially when it came to domestic abuse, and fell flat. Why do you have fame, if you don't know how to use it?

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Come On, Kelis: Kelis Files Financial With Court; Highlights Why Women Should Be Secure Even When Married

This is not playing out so well or so pretty for Kelis and Nas. I really feel terribly sorry for her because I think she's so gifted and had game way before Rihanna, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, all of them. I am rooting for her as a fellow mom and a fan, but this right here gets to me a bit.

Kelis says from 11/08 to 4/09, her average monthly income was $21,616. Hardly poor, but way less than what she and Nas were pulling in while she was with him.

Kelis, who is ready to give birth, has some pretty hefty expenses — $80,831 a month … way more than she says she makes.

Kelis says she hasn’t toured in a year and most of her income comes from her concerts.

Kelis says she spends $14,861 on her mortgage. Her nanny costs $3,500 a month. She spends $15,000 a month on entertainment, gifts and vacations — not too shabby. And she says it cost $175 to have the “baby rug dry cleaned.”

And there’s this … Kelis says she wants to buy “storage to bank the baby’s blood when he is born. The banking is the collection and storage of the stem cells found in the baby’s umbilical cord.” It’s used to treat 70 life-threatening diseases. It all costs $$$

And? I understand that Nas is rolling in money just by share seniority in the industry, but you are making in one month what most people make in a year. I would KILL to make that much a month. Hello, Guiseppe Zanotti!!!

Ladies, I believe that it's important to be honest about financial info with your spouses and vice versa. Trust me. If you want to keep a separate account, that's fine but tell your partner. Don't go into that murky territory that mixes trust and money. Still, you still have to be secure in all you and never get so co-dependent that you will literally fail if that person chooses to leave you.

If that person chooses to bounce out, then the last thing you want to do is beg for money. I am not saying to horde cash from your spouse, but whatever you do, make sure that you are still doing for self, as well as the team. Can you do both? Yes, you freakin' can.

Kelis, you have more than enough money to make a go of it. What you are doing is trying to stunt. Girl, get an Eddie Bauer stroller, some baby clothes at Baby Gap and Old Navy, Graco baby car seat and keep it pushing. Learn to make your own HEALTHY meals because you do NOT have the nine-to-five that I and most women have (I'm self-employed and it's STILL possible to cook for you and your family and work, and workout) so you can most definitely cook. Personal trainer post-baby? Don't need it. Amass tons of fitness magazines like Shape and Oxygen, even Muscle and Fitness (for men), and work it out girl. That baby weight will melt off.

I've been through a divorce. While we are good friends, and that's why I didn't ask him for anything, it was still pretty much a given that I had to be able to make it on my own. I had no choice.

You don't need to stunt on anyone. Who cares if your baby isn't in some Petite Tresor shit?? Girl, keep it moving! It's all about you and the baby. Quite frankly, I would rock the hell out of my cheaper digs, using the publicity to talk about how you are standing in solidarity with MOST folks who are dealing with this recession, and how you are so cool, you don't need overly expensive and hyped up baby crap.

Let me tell you a little thing about babies: NOTHING is sacred! NOTHING. They will piss on, poop on, drool on, vomit/spit up on ANYTHING, be it Chanel or Faded Glory. Not only that, but they grow at an astounding rate. We didn't even get a chance to go through all of Stay Puft Jr's clothes, he grew so fast.

Take a hold of some of that pride, pop in "I Will Survive" and "Caught Out There" and make it work.

source

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Lauren London and Nivea Pregnant By Lil' Wayne! What? There Weren't Any Condoms Left In The World?

While I understand the allure behind a bad boy like Lil' Wayne, I cannot IMAGINE why these two beautiful women who should've been worried about their careers and making moves, would do something so freakin' stupid. Here's what Bossip had to say about it:

I was told yesterday Lauren London was at lost for words today after finding out that her baby daddy was expecting another child yesterday. Lauren who is almost 6 months pregnant
didn’t know anything about Nivea pregnancy, and found out online and was outraged. Like every other star these days, she took to her Twitter page to express how she felt. But after speaking to a family friend left the topic alone.

She then decided to spend the day with her family and close friends. Lauren told her friends that she is worried if her career is over as a result of these issues. As we all know Lauren is on the pinnacle of Black Hollywood as the face of Sean John and reoccurring role in the remake of Beverly Hills 90210 on the CW. A reliable source stated that Wayne doesn’t want anything to do with Lauren.

Today Nivea called Ryan Cameron’s and confirmed that she is indeed pregnant with a boy. In fact, both of them are pregnant with Wayne’s sons. This is a really bad situation, considering that she is knocked up and the baby daddy is in love with someone else.

Lauren London was pretty much a fixture on black lad rags and the chitlin circuit. If it was hard for Gabrielle Union and Megan Good to find work, I know it was extra hard for Lauren. Nivea, who has a really good voice (check her Randy Watson Myspace page), is stuck in this as if she didn't have enough drama with some girl named Shanell. Long story. Won't get into it.

This is Lil' Wayne ladies. This isn't some guy who will sweep you off of your feet. I don't care how sexy you thought he was, you don't screw Weezy without a condom unless you want to deal with a host of bullshit. Just ask his ex-fiancee/mother of his daughter. I have to question the motives behind these women putting themselves out there like that. Was it money? I know the guy is rolling in money, but was it really worth it?

Look at Kelis. Not even she is safe from the wrath of a rapper grown disenchanted. I guess it goes to show that money doesn't buy class or common sense. This is not necessarily an insult, as it is a "What the hell were you thinking?"

Lauren London could've garnered most anyone she wanted, and instead she settled on Lil' Wayne. But then again, she said in an interview that she preferred thugs. Well, when you prefer thugs, you have to be willing to deal with the consequences of such an idiotic thought process. Getting pregnant and being embroiled in internet drama is one of those consequences.

I say this because I know how important it is to do things the right way. This will be in a later post, but while some women frown on the whole marriage thing, I don't. It is HEALTHY. It is the right way to do things when children are involved. It didn't work out that way the second time for me, but it won't happen again unless I am a married woman. This is why this really hit home for me, because these two women have to deal with all of the "stigma" in public thanks to Twitter, blogs, Myspace, etc.

Nevertheless, I wish them both the best of luck. They are going to need it.

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Why Don't You Just Go Natural, Then?

(Spotted at Necole Bitchie)

When Necole Bitchie posted this pic, I was quickly irritated by Angel Lola and Teyana Taylor's weaves.

Sisters, why? I guess why would you go through all the trouble of getting all that damned weave on your head, when you could just GROW out your own natural hair and wear it. Now I don't know whether Teyana is natural or not. She could be, just wearing a sew-in. At the same token, why go to this extent?

It just seems so out of proportion. Then when sisters see these hair styles, and go natural hoping to get that effect, it's an inaccurate representation of what natural hair should always look like.

How about we stop wearing the natural looking weaves, and just go natural. Hmmm?

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Ciara and Justin Timberlake Start a Fire with "Love Sex Magic" Video

I was reading over at Soul Bounce about the new Ciara video featuring Justin Timberlake called "Love Sex Magic."

Here's an excerpt:

Someone please explain why Justin Timberlake continually gets a pass to fetishize and exploit the image of Black women. Right now. Because after watching him aggressively pulling on a chain wrapped around Ciara's neck only to later use her bending body as a leaning post in her new video for "Love Sex Magic," it's getting ludicrously difficult to understand.

Here's my opinion. I am pretty sure that Ciara had NO problem letting Justin Timberlake, a staple on "White boy lists" the world over, lick, pull, tug or caress her. As such, this is still Ciara's video and she has options. I know that she's not a heavyweight in the music industry like say Britney or Rihanna, but unless she was raped by her producers and/or music label, she is the main one responsible for letting this video go where it went.

And let me tell you, it went there. From the first few seconds of this video, sex was being oozed so much I thought my computer would melt. She does not seem to have any issues with this white guy all over her, and I am sure there are quite a few black women who would not mind either.

Why is it that there is an issue with Justin Timberlake "manhandling" Ciara, that POOR innocent girl (yeah right)? Why is there no issue with the fact that these two people are giving "The Red Shoe Diaries" a run for its money with their hypersexualized video? Of course the sex is only ever an issue when it's a white guy doing the dominance for some people.

I can't really watch the video because Ciara tries too hard and she should know better. I watched it, but I had to skip parts. If I want to see shit like that, I will film me and my boyfriend. But then again, it seems like female singers have gone into some neo-pseudo-prostitution where if they don't fuck for tracks, they damned sure better sound or look like they are fucking on the track or the video for the track.

Why can't we ask why black female artists still feel obligated to sell ass on video when they know it's damaging to the psyches of young black girls and boys? Why the weakness?

This is why we do not get the respect we deserve. We are selective in what we call out. When I say selective, I mean that we hold other races to an even higher standard than our own, EVEN when we are our own worst enemies.

It starts with us. Until then, Justin will continue to turn willing pop tarts out on camera. Talk about magic...

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Where Are Rihanna's Parents, Family and Friends?

Rumor has it that Rihanna and Chris Brown enjoyed a weekend at Diddy's residence in Miami getting "reacquainted". Sounds like the "honeymoon" period people talk about when discussing the stages or cycles of domestic abuse.

This is all rumor for now, but some pictures have placed them pretty close to each other in Miami and I am thinking that they may have some truth to them.

If one of my boyfriends beat me up, there would've been no waiting period to hear back from my camps because a press release would've come out saying that my brother and mom smashed the hell out of the guy who did it. I would've gotten my own beat down if I would've decided to go back to him.

As a friend, if any of my girlfriends had been beaten by some guy, she would have a hell of a time from me and I would be very vocal about her leaving him. But, then again, that's what I think good friends are for.

If they are back together, what went wrong? Is the money so lucrative that they think it makes them impervious to reality? Does Rihanna not think she is a battered woman? Maybe the pain of having your picture disseminated all over was enough to keep her next to Chris for fear of not being able to do better.

I am angered because she should know better. She should not be there. Her fans are tween girls who are already being beaten down systematically by the media and society, and here she goes sending the message that even a gorgeous, rich and affluent young woman who is a role model stays with an abuser.

"You're being too hard on her! How dare you!"

She should be held accountable if they are back together. She has no kids with Brown and no reason to stay. There is nothing to keep her there.

I feel a terrible sense of betrayal on the part of these little girls and teens that look up to her. They are so impressionable and someone they idolize may be sending the wrong message that abuse is okay. Where do we draw the line?

Chris Brown was destroyed by the media and is still being destroyed as we speak for a bad choice. She should be no different.

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