Five in the Jukebox

1. Free Yourself - Fantasia

2. Ordinary People - John Legend

3. Some Cut- Thrillville

4. Lets Get Blown - Snoop Dogg

5. Rap Chick - Red Cafe

First of I want to say Happy Birthday today to my childhood best friend Devin Bateman. He should be 29 today. I hope it's a good one whereever you are.

I have to give credit to all the Iraqi citizens who actually voted in Iraq. I don't think the people who live here should have gotten a vote. They don't have anything to lose by voting here. There's no insurgents with assault rifles here. The big question is how long will it be after the new government is in place before the troops are asked to leave. My guess is longer than we all think. The Iraq police and the army will not stand a chance if their are no American Troops to help them.

The Micheal Jackson trial starts today. As far as am concerned even if he is not guilty someone should make him get some help. How do you mess up that much fame and success? His advisers must be overpaid because they are doing a poor job of helping his career. The American public can forgive just about everything except for two crimes. One is black men killing white women. The other is abusing little children, especially boys. Micheal and Oj both need to move to a nice island and get away before we all get associated with them.

What is up with the hip hop community? Irv Gotti, Ja Rule, Lil Kim and The Game all have drama going on this week. I will say it again and again. The music of our generation will never be taken seriously as long as we conduct our business like a bunch of black gangsters instead of musicians.

My Top Ten MC's

It's late at night and I am bored. Since I have nothing to do and no beer to drink, I thought I would sit here and give my top ten MC's of all time. I already did the Top Ten Albums and the Top Ten Songs. This list I am doing tonight is just based on skills, and charisma. The MC's listed do not necessarily need to have a hit record to appear on this list. I can say ahead of time that Nelly, Chingy, Lil Bow Wow, Hammer, Ja Rule, Foxy Brown, Baby, Petey Pablo, Master P, Da Brat, Camron, Silk the Shocker, Jermaine Dupri or any of the G Unit will not appear.

1. Rakim - You have to make him number one when you consider that every MC for the past 16 years has taken some part of his style and incorporated it into what they do. He could have made one album and still been in the top five.

2. Tupac - I'm giving Pac the second slot behind Rakim because he would do that himself. There are lots of guys that had more creative lyrics but nobody has or may ever have the amount of energy come through the microphone like this dude. If he only would have recognized his true place and stayed out of trouble, the entire culture would be different.

3. Notorious B.I.G. - It's a shame he got caught up with P. Diddy and got caught up in the East/West beef. I don't think we saw the best he could have done. Fine some underground recordings and you can hear his true passion for the mic.

4. KRS One - I know I put him after Biggie. He gets number four because Biggie had a little more charisma than he did. It really could have been a tie.

5. Aceyalone (Freestyle Fellowship) - I know he has never had a big hit. Most people don't know who he or Freestyle Fellowship is. The guy puts words and ideas together like nobody.

6. NAS - I like the direction he is going in now. Had a few CD's where he didn't have an identity but the lyrics were still good. He is growing with his audience.

7. Freddie Foxx - I love Bumpy Knuckles. Freddie will never be a huge artist. He is just too scary. I know one thing about Freddie. None of those platinum selling MC's will never have him do a guest spot on their record. He will totally steal the show.

8. Common - He got a little strange with his last album but lyrically there isn't too many people that can touch him.

9. Ice Cube - I debated about where he should be for a few minutes. He may be my favorite rapper of all time. I don't know if he still has the energy to get the job done on the mic.

10.Posdonus (De La Soul) - As I get older, I'm getting more into MC's that grow with their audience. De La Soul has done that and Pos is the far better of the two members.

Five in the Jukebox

1. Free Yourself - Fantasia

2. I might - Norman Brown

3. Lets get Blown - Snoop Dogg

4. Ordinary People - John Legend

5. I'm Black - StylesP featuring Floetry ..............This song is off the Chain!


Can you tell how much I love this Fantasia album. The whole thing is good except for that Baby Mama song!

Good Morning,
I don't have any lead in to catch your attention so lets just get into what happen last week. I can't remember too much about last week anyway so I will just touch on two things for now. It was a long weekend.

George W. Bush was sworn in again as president of the United States. He vowed to spread democracy to the darkest ends of the earth and end tyranny. If I am a 16 year old kid listening to that on TV, I am asking my parents to get me a passport in case I have to move to Canada to escape the draft. If all of his democracy missions go like Iraq, we could be in trouble. That's what the majority wanted so no one can argue with anything he does. It's dangerous when you have a president that believes he can change history and his family's legacy. The serious part of it is that he is not doing anything he truly doesn't believe is right.

Patriots and Eagles made the Superbowl. In the age of free agency and parity, it still holds true that the best teams usually win and that's what happened. Pittsburgh is good, but you don't send a rookie quarterback out to battle against Tom Brady and Belichek. You really can't send anybody against them right now. They are as close to the old 49ers as anybody.

It's a Day for a King

Never forget why people celebrate the legacy of this man. Here's a person that could have spent his entire life preaching and being successful without ever getting into harms way. Instead, he chose to attach his name and face as the symbol of a movement to help his people obtain the rights that they were entitled to in this country. He had to know going into it that allot of stress, fear and possibly death would accompany his decision and yet he still carried on. If that's not worth some recognition by this country then nobody should have any. I would urge everyone to think about what they could do to make their community better in the spirit of his work. It doesn't have to be anything big. Sometimes the small things make all the difference.

It's Monday and although it's technically still the weekend that won't stop me from doing my usual week in review of the world as I see it.

It is absolutely unbelievable to me that an administration can make a decision to go to war based on false evidence, change the reason for the war 5 times, still not have the place under control and get rewarded for four more years. Why should the president listen to any criticize about the war when he just won re-election by the largest margin in 20 years. It is absolutely terrible that there were no weapons of mass destruction. Not even one bomb and nobody seems to remember that is the reason we went in the first place. This war was for his own agenda and nothing will make me believe otherwise. What are those 53 million Americans that voted for Bush going to think when there is a civil war in Iraq about 3 months after the elections and our troops are there for 5 more years. You guys must have really been worried about gay people and Janet Jackson's breast to put up with this kind of mismanagement.

Armstrong Williams received two hundred forty thousand dollars to promote No Child Left Behind. I guess Fox news got about two billion by now.

I am convinced that the state has some inside information that the NFL doesn't want to move the team. That's the only reason I can see that Tom Benson and the NFL would spend 40 million of their own money to fix a 30 year old state owned building when they can get 800 million and a new stadium from LA. The funny part is when she said she could have been spending her time working on other things like healthcare, and education. I'm sure she didn't spend all her time preparing that proposal. If she did, I have no faith in the future of healthcare and education in Louisiana.

The other question is even if the Saints were not playing in the dome, it would still be used year round for all kinds of events that generate money for the state. Are we ever going to put any funds into the building or just let the damn thing wear down and become unattractive to visitors? It's not the most pleasant place to attend an event now. If you are over 200 lbs you damn near have to squeeze into your seat and sit on top of the person next to you and I won't even mention the steps and that ramp. It's one thing to not build a new stadium for a professional team. There's no excuse for not having a fund or revenue stream designed to improve and enhance public buildings in the state. That's something that should have been state law 50 years ago.

Sometimes you have to go back and admit your mistakes. I urged everyone to pull behind the team to make the playoffs. What happened? Jim Haslett got a contract extension, the price of my season tickets went up 300.00 and Venturi might be coming back. All of this happened and they didn't even make it. That 4-12 record with a top ten pick doesn't look so bad now. I hate football sometimes.

Finally.........

After the young brother got killed at Razoos, I said that the mayor, police chief and city council should have jumped on top of this from the beginning and put an end to it. They didn't. Now, the SCLC is threatening to call a boycott of the city. That's just what we need. A boycott of the city in an industry that black people depend on for income. Boycotting New Orleans will do nothing to hurt the owners of the clubs on Bourbon, the bouncers, or anybody else other than the poor brothers in the kitchens and the hotel workers that need that money. Go ahead and boycott and punish other black people. What is wrong with Ray Nagin and our city council. I don't know if the death of that man was racial or not. I do however know that a incident like this can really harm the image of a city that depends on visitors more than anything else. It's really stupid that a city with a 85% black population and black people in almost every position of power can have something like this happen and need outside organizations step in to demand justice. You all look like puppets for the real people with power in this city. If you want to know where the real power lies, watch the Rex and Comus Mardi Gras ball and see all those people in the masks. That's who has the real power in this area.

Happy Birthday Grandpa

I would like to wish Walter Harris Sr. a happy 89th birthday. There aren't allot of men sitting around at 89 and are healthy enough to sit with his wife and enjoy four generations of his family. You will always be the man.

I Once Wanted To Be A Black Hero

I got an e-mail from a long time friend today and it inspired me to write this................


I once wanted to be a black hero. I’m not talking about the kind that leaps tall buildings or stops bullets with his teeth. I’m talking about a hero to my people. I used to spend hours reading up on the black experience in America and thinking about ways to make it better. I studied Garvey, DuBois, King, Malcolm and the Panthers. I used to sit up at night watching Minister Farrakhan on TV so much that my dad actually asked if I was going to join the nation. I desired to be anti-establishment. I wanted to have a legacy. I dreamt of being a symbol of black progress and revolution. Then something happened. I became an average everyday brother.
I’m not sure if it was the free money, dropping out of college, the long hours of drinking and strip clubs, or meeting a few cool white guys. For some reason, I became comfortable with my place in the world. I became less and less concerned with the plight of my people. It didn’t hurt to see drug addicts anymore. Record murder rates became an afterthought. The public education system was failing and I could care less. None of my kids were there. I had become the narrow minded, woman chasing, not a care brother that I used to hate. I lost my fire and passion for the cause.
I’m not alone in this journey. There are many young brothers and sisters in my generation who had big intentions on bringing change to the world and making their mark in society. As we got older, lots of us became more concerned with stock options, 401K plans, and credit reports. We are self absorbed, young black adults of the “all about me” era. The fire is there but it’s hard to get it burning the right way. The reason for this is simple. Our cup appears to be half full now. We can’t maintain the spirit of the generations before us because they had no cup. Forty years ago, oppression and discrimination was blatant and obvious. The young, talented members of the black community educated and organized themselves for the challenge of changing society for the benefit of their generation and the ones to follow. They did a great job and sacrificed allot. Somewhere along the way, the line was blurred and the struggle became second to personal achievement. We believe we can enjoy personal and professional gain while friends and family are trapped in an abyss of crime, poverty, and self hate. That is the great lie about the American Dream for black people and we fell for it hook, line, and sinker.
So how do we get the fire burning again in the midst of the current situation? It has been easy for me. I have a one year old daughter now. On my way to work, I drive around the city and see young beautiful black faces with innocent eyes full of hope and promise. I get energized because I know they will be growing into a world that many of them will be unprepared for and it’s our fault. We are obligated. I may not ever be as revered as Dr. King or Brother Malcolm and I am fine with that. What matters to me is that I never lose site of the big picture and work hard at being the best father, friend, boyfriend, husband, student, employee and human being I can be. If we can all strive for this goal, the fire will burn bright and we will all be heroes in our own way and our legacies will be fulfilled.

Yahoo! News - Video Shows Tsunami Roar Through Indonesia

Yahoo! News - Video Shows Tsunami Roar Through Indonesia

Everybody needs to watch this video clip and see how it looked when the Tsunami was coming through the city. It's amazing the death toll isn't double.

Five in the Jukebox

I actually think I have enough songs I like to do a top five with no theme tied to it. Here are the top songs for me last week. The top five includes a kid I personally don't like but this song has grown on me.

1. Truth is - Fantasia

2. Let me Love You - Mario......I'm ashamed to admit I like this song.

3. One Million Times - Gerald Levert

4. Be with Me - Terrell

5. Some Cut - Trillville ..........It's all Erica's fault that I like this stupid song.


Quick Music Question : If Nelly makes a song with Tim Mcgaw, shouldn't he be banned from hip hop or something? How can this be accepted? 15 years ago, his career would have been over after something like this. Hip hop is becoming the jazz of the new generation. They are stealing it from us. Don't be surprise when the #1 rap album is the Toby Keith/Ja Rule duet album. We need a return to the real stuff as soon as possible.

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!

It's Sunday and I usually don't sit around on the weekend and write anything. Since I have no money, transportation, or plans, I am going to sit here and catch up on something that have been in the news and how I feel about them. There's no Saint's football and my mind is clearer due to the fact that I haven't had any hard liquor this week. I feel a little energize and refreshed now. If I can only get this jeep running, everything will be fine. Here is my news in review for last week.

Rest in Peace Buddy D.........Saint's game Sundays will never be the same for the fans. I am going to miss you because you refused to be happy with their mediocrity. You loved what you did and was as New Orleans as it gets.

Louisiana lost 6 soldiers in one blast Thursday. Man, I hate this war. I just can't believe we are dying right now to convince these people that they should be happy we are there. I still say we should have just went and took the place over. Everything would have been done by now and most of these troops would be safe and at home already.

I'm sorry Buddy D. has past away because the fact that Jim Haslett is still the Saints' coach and is working on an extension might have killed him on air. I guess four years in a row of being underachievers is worth a few more million to Mr. Benson. How did he ever become a millionaire making decisions like this.

I was going to write an entire column on this Razoos murder but I changed my mind. Somebody made me realize my viewpoint at first wasn't right. The biggest question I have is when did Razoos get a dress code? There are people walking into Razoos with slippers and tshirts on. Those young brothers didn't look under dressed for that place to me. Why do we give bouncers all that authority anyway. Who gave them the right to just stomp on people outside the club. Once you are on the sidewalk, their authority stops. We need to look into the rules on how club security in this city is enforced. New Orleans can not afford to have people looking at their biggest tourist draw as a racist area. Mayor Nagin, Cheif Compass, Eddie Jordan and the other city leaders need to come out on this and come down on Razoos to put out the fire before it gets any bigger than it is already. We don't need Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson standing on Bourbon and St. Ann protesting. Let's do the right thing and correct this situation without any outside help.

Hornets Win! Hornets Win!........About damn time. This might seem strange but I have never been so excited about a 3-29 team before. We are moving in the right direction despite what the record says. The healthier we get, the better we are playing.

Top Five Songs - Daddy Edition

1. Chains of Love - Bobby Blue Bland

2. Why I Sing the Blues - B.B. King

3. City Country City - WAR

4. Stay in my Corner - The Dells

5. Love and Happiness - Al Green

Happy Birthday Daddy

I would like to say Happy 55th Birthday to Clifton Joseph Harris. You are the man! I love you.

Fire Haslett Now

What is wrong with this team?

Just when I was willing to give Jim Haslett a pass he makes these comments and here we go again. He can't honestly believe that this same coaching staff can lead this team to the playoffs. He can't honestly think that people should be happy that he has guided the team to 7th place for three years. It's no wonder his players and staff think the fans are crazy for even thinking of replacing anybody on an average team. How dare Tom Benson and the fans get pissed when they were 4-8 and playing like high schoolers. You all should be ashame of thinking about replacing Aaron Brooks after he finally had one big game where he didn't choke in the last 4 years. All this time, I was sitting here wishing we could go to the Superbowl and never realized that 7th place was our goal. I could have turned that Jets/Rams' game off yesterday and started celebrating our 7th place dynasty. Can we have one offseason where somebody in this organization doesn't say something to kill any fan momentum?

No Playoffs But At Least we Died Hard

I would like to commend the team for the way they played today and the last three weeks. At least they showed a little fight and some pride going into the offseason. However, here's the problem. If the same Saints team that showed up today would have shown up for 16 weeks, they would easily have 10 wins maybe more. Going into next year, I am still just as confused about this team as I was three years ago. It's really frustrating to know that we could beat any of those teams in the playoffs yet will be sitting at home.

This has not been a great year for football in Louisiana. After the Iowa miracle pass, I just knew that the Vikings and Rams were going to mess it up. It can never be a good year when Saban leaves and Haslett stays. Well, at least I can watch ESPN again and not hear about how dangerous the Panthers are. I need some kind of moral victory.

Yahoo! News - Former Congresswoman Chisholm Dies at 80

Yahoo! News - Former Congresswoman Chisholm Dies at 80

You have to show love to the first black woman elected to Congress. Mrs. Chisholm definitely blazed a trail and is a role model for black women all over.