As much as most people love to hate on BET or we, Black folks worldwide seem to have a love/hate realtionship with ourselves & those who we pay & are sanctioned to represent us in the world ; I never see anyone coming with real solutions & being the change they want to see, so with that said kudos to BET for bringing the music back & showing us a way forward as we honor & commence Black Music Month!

The performances of so many were thrilling & showed a much needed return of our Soul Singers! A few standouts were Jill Scott -back , bold, grown & as beautiful as ever! Ledisi , Ledisi, Ledisi -Wow is all I can say -this true soul singer gets it right every time & she made our wonderful Vanilla Child-Teena Marie- proud from heaven.  Mary J.Blige lacing us with her classic ‘ol skool’ jams & standing toe to toe with the great & beautiful Anita Baker in humility, pride & power, while showing us why she will always be Queen of Hip-Hop Soul was simply Wikked!

The Pattie Labelle tribute was by far the best highlight of the night showcasing the beauty & longevity of our elders in this beautiful God given gift of music that serves one’s soul! Grand Dame of gospel, Shirley Caesar, the incomparable Gladys Knight & ofcourse Miss Pattie herself looked beautiful, dressed for the occasion & once again led by example to show the youngins that class, hard work, perseverance, pride in your appearance, nurturing your talents and being a true artist can bring you the type of longevity in a survival of the fittest type of industry with one too many fly by night entertainers who work on their celebrity more than their craft. Kelly Rowland can shout from the mountain top that she is “Winning” this time around & as the song says “You can’t stop me…Baby I’mma be your motivation“! Kelly has come into her own with the confidence of a woman who is fit & ready for this year to be her year- take no prisoners style- Kudos Kelly -we support you- get it girl!  Sorry King Bey , you  still remain the beloved but we’ve seen all you have to give in your queendom & kingdom of sequince, gold, body suits, grand stage performances & the usual dance steps, but Kelly is giving us something fresh & new that we have not seen from her already & the streets are not only talking but loving it! It’s time for Ebony Princesses to unanbashingly  shine with class, beauty & graciousness in mainstream global media, while adoring their femininity- fit, proud & powerful because the blonding of Black is getting to be a one sided story too often told, which novelist Chimamanda Adichie explains as The Danger of a Single Story!  If we as a culture say we support & love the multifaceted  story of ourselves then it must be reflective in our actions toward change. Love is a Verb!  (Excuse having to sit thru the singing chippendale Trey Songz to get to Kelly-LOL!)

Marsha Ambrosius, Miss “Late Nights & Early Morning’s” powerfully intoxicating Al Green take em’ to church & the bedroom at the same time & have em’ screaming for “Jesus” -performance of Patti Labelle’s “If Only  You Knew“- had me thinking if the world only knew how great & rare singers like Marsha are. The grand Diva of them all Mr. Cee-Lo Green keeps having the best year ever as he comes for the crowns of Liberace & Elton John all at the same time, while showing us just how much soul he has pent up in that round figure of his as he counts & rounds out zeros in dollar bills & Euros too! There is no voice in gospel that can take the crown of  Miss “No Charge“- Queen Shirley Ceaser -she’s been in the game for a long time & she is not giving up the mic anytime soon. At the age of 73, like a bottle of wine she gets better with age just like everyone’s favorite soul diva -Pattie Labelle, 5 decades  in the business later, at the age of 67  she can still out sing, out dress, out class & outlast most if not all the soul singers of today who are half her age. If you are a true lover of music you will always love & need & want Pattie Labelle. We HEART you Miss Pattie!

BET always brings it hard with the gospel because if there is one thing that Black folks know is church & the music of the church, but this time around  the  gospel performance was lackluster & I was not jumping out of my chair exalting “Amen” for being taken to church in my living room as I have with past performances. As far as the fashion- BET really needs to implement a dress code for those grown folks who just refuse to have some pride & class in their apperance & who just can not seem to comprehend that there is a time & place for everything . Well there’s never a time & place for grown men to be showing their underpants to the world, but we can only fight ignorance & ill teachings 1 day at a time- like the global financial crisis it took a long time to get us to this point of self destruction & self loathing -so it may take us twice as long to get back on the right track. It was painful to watch the insanity of grown women who have no friends to tell them that when you are of a certain age & you gain weight in so many places without physical fitness being part of your everyday routine- you can not wear certain things because you only come off looking like somebody’s auntie who refuses to accept her age & weight & who desperately needs to be Free from the uncomfortable packed in snausages look in trying to stuff all that junk in a trunk that is already overloaded. Nia Long looked beautifully radiant &  with a pregnant belly & all was able to outshine, outclass & out dress most of the women in attendance. If that is what pregnancy  looks like , I will do it 100 times over! As for the not so gentle just because you pack a stick between your legs does not a man make -gentlemen, who couldn’t have enough class & self respect to dress appropriately for the occasion -All I can say is just have a look at Idris Elba, his career & how well respected he is in the industry globally- it takes more than talent to earn respect & longevity in career & life.  The way too tight, overly exposed, overly shiny disco ball , blinged out, pants on the ground, everyone rocking the same ridiculous shade of Beyonce blonde that only really works for Beyonce -if that-  is getting old & needs to stop immediately! We need to take some pride back into our culture, our appearance & our lives by bringing back some class & charm!

As for it being Chris Brown’s night-it was well deserved-we forgive so many for so much worse & if we are all God fearing people & so called Christians -then let the young man live & have the chance to make peace with his maker on judgement day! As far as that flub with the viewer’s choice award -I really can’t help but be cynical that BET producers may have done this so called “human error” intentionally with a poor fan left to take the heat just to guarantee press & tongues wagging about the award show  the next day. I hope it is not a fact, but in this media thirsty society that we live in, I don’t put anything past anyone doing the unthinkable or even the unforgivable in selling their soul to the devil just to be a trending topic on twitter. Chris Brown’s talents are incomparable & we do need him in the game because as far as talent & performance symbiotically blending together in greatness of what makes future legends , no one can touch him & he proves it every time. Usher has already lost the crown & can’t seem to find his place in his grown man-ness that grown women of his age want to see, as he belts out passionate grown man music like his Prince like  ”do it to me“. If Justin Beiber is his air apparent then we definitely need Chris Brown in the game!

As far as recognizing that Black Music, Black Entertainment & Black People are global , BET continues to get a failing grade each & every time. No one would even know that there is a BET International with access to the world of Black music & entertainment outside of the 50 United States of America. It is really a shame as the world gets more global, Black people in America always seem to be the last to embrace global blackness, just as Elle Magazine was first to put Alek Wek on a cover while Essence turned her down until after most of their mainstream  competitors showed them that yes- this beautiful Black African is relevant in mainstream America & worldwide , while Ebony Magazine finally found a reason to put her on the cover to tell us all that Black is Back ,as we all wondered when it ever left. I guess when mainstream award shows & radio start awarding & playing more music & films from the African continent & her Diaspora outside of the US, maybe then BET & others who are supposed to represent Blackness will see the relevance! Until then global Africa will keep forging forward with or without you & kudos to bringing back the soul of Black music in America & showing that this year the soul singers are taking back the Mic in truly honoring Black Music Month!

For My Global Fusionists, here are the Nominees & Winners for the International acts that were not worthy of live BET broadcast even if it meant canceling some of the tomfoolery to show BET’s movement toward a more global perspective. We could have done without the usual Trey Songz  multiple shirtless performances & Rick Ross -damn how many times did we really need to hear him perform. The Super Eagle Nation of Nigeria took the award home for best international act-  going to both Mr. “Fall In love”  & newly minted member of Kanye West’s G.O.O.D Music family, D’Banj &  Mr. I took the African Queen global- 2Face Idbia, who both came in dressed to impress as African Kings with global grown man swag!

BET Best International Act(Africa) Winner. If these are the lyrics & sentiments of Future Global Africa then Africa is Winning! Africa is the Future -Don’t Let anyone tell u differently! If ♥ 4 Nation, Family,Craft, Self, Mama Africa & ♥ is a crime Den I Want 2 B Wanted, If ♥ Is A Crime I’m Willing 2 B Hunted,Everytime Dat I Look Into Ur Eyes I See Fire In There, & If U Look Into My Eyes U See Desire In There,Keep D Fire Burning! To Whom Much Is Given ..Much Is Expected… Dedicated to the  Global Daughters of  Yaa Asantewaa…You Are Worthy! There Are Many Ways To The Dream… MUSIC IS A WEAPON!

There’s Been A Lot Of Toasting, Lot Of Guys Hve Been Up To Her But She Told Them She Was Waiting, For The One That God Sent To Fulfill Her Kind Of Craving, A Special Kind Of Loving, One With Luv Dat Undastanding, Come Rain Come Shining, Ppl Started 2 Say Dat She Wanted More Dan Mr. Rite, All Dat She Want Is A Man Dat Sees D Lite, Dey Say She’s A Fool 4 Being Uptight, All Dat She Want Is Good Luv No Be Fight, Special Kind Of Girl Hard 2 Come By, Dis Kind Of Girl Na Him I Want 2 Make My Wife, U R D One, Say No More, Don’t Bother About What D Ppl Say, Cos I Say

[Chorus:]
Everytime Dat I Look Into Ur Eyes I See Fire In There(Fire), And If U Look Into My Eyes U See Desire In There(Desire), Gal If Luv Is Crime Den I Want 2 B Wanted, If Luv Is A Crime I’m Willing 2 B Hunted, Got A Lot Of Respect 4 U Cos Ur Kind Is So Rare(So Rare), It’s Kind Of Hard 2 Imagine But I Know (U R Out There)2ce, If Luv Is A Crime Then I Wnt 2 B Wanted, If Luv Is A Crime I Wnt 2 B Hunted.

[Verse 2:]
She Said 2 Me Do U Wanna B D Last Man Standing, She Said 2 Me Do U Wanna B D One Dem Complimenting, Oh Yeah, Gal I Wanna B Ur Beginning & Ur Ending, Oh, I Wanna B D Only 1 Dat U B Sending, I Can’t Believe She’s Still A Virgin, Lots Of Guys Hve Been Up 2 Her But There Was No Compromising, She’d Been Strong, She’d Been Keeping Herself Until D Day Of Her Wedding, Under D Right Ceiling, With D Right Person, A Person Deserving Of Her Special Kind Of Loving…

[Chorus]

[Bridge:]
Keep D Fire Burning, Burning, Burning, Keep D Fire Burning Keep It Burning, If Love Is A Crime, If Love Is A Crime.See, Everytime Dat I Look Into Ur Eyes I See Fire In There, And If U Look Into My Eyes U See Desire In There, Girl If Love Is A Crime, If Love Is A Crime [Till Fade]

[ These are If Love Is A Crime Lyrics on http://www.lyricsman

I applaud Ms. Shirley Sherrod on refusing the position given to her after she was used as yet another political pawn within a government that bi-partisanly puts politics before the service of its people. Ms. Sherrod decided not to fall into the Obama “Change We Can Believe In” hero complex by coming into a completely broken situation that needs a complete overhaul, knowing very well that she will never be given the power & support to overhaul it because everyone is on the take & she has enough experience to know better. I applaud Ms. Sherrod for being fearless in refusing to sweep it under the rug & let the dirt build up again instead of facing it head on & cleaning it up in order to expose the beauty underneath or the beauty that could be in America. We need to take heed to the Shirley Sherrod story as Black people, as a nation & as a world at large that seems to play into the hands of those who continuously use us to divide ourselves so that they can conquer. Ms. Sherrod will probably serve the country better from the outside by being the one to watch over & call the USDA out on their own madness of corruption, kowtowing to big business & general lack of regulations & enforcement. I hope Van Jones will also continue to keep his eyes on BP & the environment by continuing his work after his own Fox news & its bi-partisan enablers ousting, in telling people the truth without political shackles, the same way I believe Shirley Sherrod will in her refusal to get sucked back into the same lions den.

“Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said today that Sherrod will in the future work with the department in a consulting capacity to help it improve its civil rights performance. Sherrod said she was tempted to take the position in the Office of Advocacy and Outreach, but she could not accept it “at this point, with all that has happened.” READ MORE

In reading the piece quoted below on AOL’s Black Voices & their take on Ms. Sherrod’s job refusal, I am seeing more & more how we as local & global Black people need an overhaul in our reality check because we truly seem to see the global Black experience past, present & future completely differently & often refuse to see the other side until we are directly on the receiving end of the disrespect,struggle & carnage; As Black Republicans all of a sudden realize that Sarah Palin is no longer fit to lead in their Jack & Jill politics only after she co-signed on Dr. Laura’s “Nigger” explosion -letting them know that yes, America has come so far, but we have so far to go if we really want to see any semblance of the so called “post racial” utopian nation where you are just a “non-retreat & reload nigger” rant away from a reality check. This speaks to us when so called leaders like Russell Simmons think that having yoga in public schools & doing business with the same companies like DeBeers, who have benefitted the most from African suffering can somehow be the solution to the deplorable drop out rate amongst young Black Boys or a means to empower Africans. It speaks to us when calling for the boycott of Essence in the same month that we are accepting & celebrating the crumbs given by Vogue. It speaks to us when young Black men in Staten Island are committing hate crimes  against Mexican immigrants ,or our government continuing drone attacks on a flood ravaged Pakistan which the world seems to careless about because there is no media frenzy or celebrity telethon attached to it for it to have any importance, or the women continuously being raped in the Congo with little media attention to the fact that the act of female abuse , rape & torture is not illegal in the world enough for women to be allowed political asylum, yet our community & global leaders readily quote Dr. King’s words “Injustice anywhere is a threat to Justice everywhere” without giving voice, marching or fighting feverishly in truly giving credence & credibility to mouthing the words of Dr. King. Sometimes we have a tendency to be our own enemy in progress & attaining our own power in our progress by bowing down & accepting whatever is given to us, so I am more than ecstatic when there are true leaders like Shirley Sherrod who refuse to fall for the “okie doke” in knowing that in situations like this there are no winners  until the the root of the problem is unmasked  & abolished instead of being covered over & patronized. I am esctatic that there are leaders like Ms. Sherrod who refuse to fall in line with compromising their integrity for some symbolic gesture of faux inclusion & praise by choosing to move Forward Ever, Backward Never!

Black Voices when are you going to be honest with yourself on whose voice you really represent in your AOL compromise?

“Sherrod is entitled to harboring some bruised feelings, but what else does she expect? She came out the hero in this story, while Breitbart has been unmasked as a dishonest fool. We all know she’s no racist. She won. If she were honest with herself, she would understand why she had to be let go after watching the edited tape. With the Obama Administration’s understandable hypersensitivity to all things racial, any official caught on tape talking about how they denied services to a citizen based on race would have to go. But they corrected the mistake the next day as soon as they found out they were tricked.” READ MORE

This is the USDA that so graciously offered Ms. Sherrod a position of faux power when the power rests with Corporations who pay to play. According to NYU Professor of Nutrition Marion Nestle “It’s the testing that really causes the problems.. nobody wants to test because if they test they might find something.” In going to the recall site I realized that there are more current recalls on our food than we have been made aware of in the media.

“There are rotten apples in every industry. Or perhaps I should say rotten eggs. One especially rotten egg is Jack DeCoster, whose commercial egg agribusiness, which goes under the homey title “Wright County Egg,” headquartered in Galt, Iowa, sends eggs all over the country under many different brands. Those eggs have now laid low thousands of Americans with salmonella poisoning, and may well infect thousands more. DeCoster is recalling 380 million eggs sold since mid-May. It’s not clear how recall rotten eggs are recalled. They’re not like Toyotas. They’re already in our food supply. But this is only the beginning of the story. Thirteen years ago when I was Secretary of Labor, DeCoster agreed to pay a $2 million penalty (the most we could throw at him) for some of the most heinous workplace violations I’d seen. His workers had been forced to live in trailers infested with rats and handle manure and dead chickens with their bare hands. It was an agricultural sweatshop. Several people in Maine told me the fine wouldn’t stop DeCoster. He’d just consider it a cost of doing business. Evidently they were right. DeCoster’s commercial egg business has a record that would make a repeat offender blush…”READ MORE

Our complacency in accepting powerlessness & in accepting things as they are is the reason why our government does not seem to feel an urgency in the need for them to work to protect us!

I had to write this blog to give a different perspective of self responsibility and to shout it to Black people & people of color that our power & self worth is not determined by inclusion in the mainstream or what White people think of us. Even though I really did not want to give any more press or credence to French Vogue’s “black face issue” or the continual absence of Black models on the runways of major designers during fashion week, too many people, especially Black people have been stepping right in to give them the hype, press & attention they were looking for in an era of slow selling mainstream magazines & slower selling luxury designer threads seeking controversy to make them relevant.

From The Daily News to every fashion blogger globally, the talk seems to be about French Vogue’s super models issue which did not feature any Black supermodels, yet it had the audacity to feature Dutch model, Lara Stone, in black face, along with the endless fashion week runway shows from New York to Europe with little to no models of color gracing the runways of fashion’s elite designers. Without the outrage very few of these magazines would have been sold and many of these designers would have gotten lack luster press to match some of their lack luster collections fantasizing about African & Black cultural esthetics. The French Vogue issue to me was obviously for provocation because they already pulled the stunt of dedicating a whole issue of Vogue Italia showcasing only Black models, which we as Black people made all the rage & the top selling issue of Vogue Italia’s history, in our false sense of being included in an industry that has told us for centuries that we are not their target market until those special issues & occasions when there is money to be made. If we really want to make a statement then let Rihanna, Jay Z, Beyonce, Oprah & the Halle Berry’s of the world stop doing their covers & endorsing their products until they start being genuinely inclusionary & representations of the so called post racial era of Obama.

Why are we always playing into these stunts & demanding inclusion & apologies instead of raising the bar to a point where they are begging for inclusion in magazines which specifically cater to us, the inspiration behind most of their styles. African & Black culture has always been at one time or the other the inspiration for countless mainstream fashion collections without ever having representation in the outcome of what they inspire. There are tons of designers of color creating brilliant fashion on a global level yet very few know about them, particularly women of color who spend millions of $ on fashion annually, because magazines like Essence, Vibe, Honey etc. would rather feature Louis Vuitton, Dior, Chanel & all those other designers who we always claim exclude us. If called out on it or asked why – these magazines that are supposed to be multi-culti or afrocentric will probably give a lame excuse like “we feature those designers because that is who our readers like or see as aspirational”. Well guess what, that’s the same excuse that the mainstream magazines & designers give as well because they are also in the business of showing who their core customer/reader likes as well. At the end of the day it is about education on all parts & everyone expanding their horizons & seeing beyond their narrow view of the world of fashion and the world in general.

In a business where even bad press is better than no press at all, I am starting to think that the whole topic of exclusion & painting black face gets more press than inclusion. As Black people & people of color, we just need to stop waiting & asking for mainstream to do right by us & let’s focus on doing right by ourselves. Many magazines who cater to women of color often rarely show much variation in the models in their own fashion spreads. Ask my plus size and dark skin sisters how often they see their likeness in the magazines they patronize before you get mad at Karl Lagerfeld saying no one wants to see real women. Why be mad at French Vogue for Black face & not mad at Tyra Bank’s Top Model show for Black face? We need to clean our own house before trying to clean up someone else’s because at the end of the day serving us is not on their to do list of priorities. Let’s focus on what we are doing for our own inclusion in the multibillion dollar business of fashion .

Check out what we should be giving our attention & press to in order to keep rising in our global representation since fashion & spending power is bigger than the runways of New York & Europe.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/05/business/media/05magazine.html

Should we be spending our time helping to spread this message instead of focusing on what we can do as a people to claim our own stake in the fashion industry.

Designers bring Africa to the runway but leave models behind: Read More Here

Blogosphere Coverage

Daily News Coverage

This was an interesting blog I found from the Brazilian perspective of Black exclusion in fashion HERE