Open Letter To Morgan Parker and The Burning of Black Businesses, Shondaland

If you haven't read it: http://www.forharriet.com/2014/12/why-im-moving-out-of-shondaland.html

     What an article. It's like Fried Chicken, Apple Pie, and Candy. None of its good for you. But don't elevate yourself from it because you saw something unrelated.

     Piece by piece, you have to look at what this article is saying to understand it, because if you boil it down to its core substance you get I'm not watching Shonda's shows because a white cop, named Darren Wilson, killed an unarmed, young, black man named Michael Brown.

     Getting the points are easy.

1. You love Scandal and How To Get Away With Murder.
2. Both of those shows are on ABC who also paid Darren Wilson $500,000 to give him a soft interview
3. You are boycotting ABC for that
4. Scandal and HTGAWM are bad for the black woman image, so you feel comfortable boycotting those shows to get your point across for what ABC did.
5. You also feel comfortable boycotting these shows because its proven to affect revenue

     Great points. I understand them all. But you misunderstand one thing, and if you're going to boycott, you have to hit them where it hurts, otherwise you make Shonda and her employees unemployed, and ABC continues on. Not to mention, you ruin the semi-positive affect that Olivia Pope has on Black Women across the world.

     What you want to do is boycott The Walt Disney Company. Boycott anything associated with ABC, because at the end of the day, our dollars are minimum losses for the huge company, but when those dollars disappear, they notice.

     So if you're going to do this right, here are the companies you're going to be looking at boycotting for maximum effect of voice being heard:

• ESPN
• ESPN
• ESPN2
• ESPNU
• ESPNEWS
• SEC Network
• ESPN Classic
• ESPN Channels Internationally
• Disney Channel
• Disney Channel Domestic
• Disney Channels International
• Disney Junior Domestic
• Disney Junior International
• Disney XD Domestic
• Disney XD International
• ABC Family
• A&E Television Networks
• A&E
• HISTORY
• Lifetime
• Lifetime Movie Network
• H2
• FYI
• ABC Television Network

     That's if you're really interested in boycotting. I do have to tell you, that when you boycott, make sure it is clear and defined. Let the advertisers know. Let the people know to let the advertisers know. Because Scandal and HTGAWM are both great shows. We can take down the system before they both return in February. 

     As for the piece about them both falling for a white guy. Look, black people make sure to diversify the things they create. Even when white people don't. I honestly prefer seeing white men doing something so sleazy like cheating in front of your wife, or killing a student you just got pregnant. Both women are super successful, and it forewarns young Black females to stay in your league. While all men are capable of such behavior, the flack you catch from people because you went outside your race is something to fear or not worry about (maybe just a bunch of mmm hmmm, I told you so).

     To conclude, don't boycott the only two huge shows with black women as stars of the show. Especially not for something they can't control or have anything to do with. Boycott the company. Oh and if I find out you wrote your article to sabotage those two black women, I'll meet you after school at 3 o'clock.

Is It Too Late To Acknowledge How Lucky Rodney King Was?

     Hopefully you can hear the sarcasm in your mind as I write this piece on policing, but if you can't refer to the sixth word in this article every few seconds. Man, was Rodney King lucky or nah? The police did a great job by not killing him.

     If you don't know who Rodney King is, he was beat by LAPD on the street. He was one of the first viral police beatings. At a time when cell phones were for the ultra wealthy, the size of a brick, and Benzes came with car phones, Police brutality was a black issue, and no one would care because we were monsters in their mind. There's more to that story, but I expect you to perform your own research.

     But man Rodney King was lucky. All the cops did was beat him. It's not like they killed him. They Killed Mike Brown. They Killed Sean Bell. They Killed DJ Henry. They Killed Eric Garner. The Killed Oscar Grant.

     All they did was beat him. Like so many of my white friends say, "how can black people complain so much about police killings and police brutality, when they kill each other more than the cops do."

      Let me explain something to you uneducated, ignorant ass fools, whose mothers should've aborted your dumb ass, to avoid birthing something so ignorant, When you say something like the quote above you make yourself the stupidest person in the room, instantly. Even if no one can argue against your point, you're the stupidest person in the room. Don't like it, choke to death on a bullet coming out of a gun.

     Ok that was extreme, and it actually took me a day to get to this sentence from the previous paragraph's last sentence, but there's truth and hurt to what I'm saying. Rodney King wasn't lucky, but I bet his family was grateful he didn't die that night.

     The rate of black incarceration, the traffic stops, all of the interactions with the police are far more than most races. If a person is a statistician, they cannot ignore that. If a person is literal, they cannot ignore that. If you're the dumbest person on earth, you cannot ignore that. Black people are under attack and we cannot go to war without the army being the next wave of attacks. Without Hitler, Government has managed to implement a Hitler order on Black people and sold it to everyone.

     Think that's too far? Explain all of the facts without stuttering. Stop and Frisk. Use of Deadly Force. Castle Law. Stand Your Ground Law. Here's a story. States have been allowing people to Open Carry. Walmart sells firearms. Police were called and told a young black man had a gun pointed at people. They came and killed John Crawford. If you click the link, you'll see he was harmlessly shopping for a cookout. the gun (pellet gun) dangling back and forth pointed to the ground.

     Black People ain't making this up. I'm not making this up. You can't have an excuse every time these events happen. Eventually you have to take responsibility and say maybe we're too excessive and going too hard.

No Formula to Success

     This article may contradict many of my beliefs and further separate race. Its going to be a piece of success salted with frustrations and peppered with self pity. I may not even stand by it after writing it.

     News Flash, the formula to success doesn't exist. No two people can do the same thing and achieve the same results. With so many people going to college to improve their opportunities, the only thing they're doing is increasing debt, and giving themselves a false sense of security.

     You may be thinking what causes this feeling? Well, colleges and universities teach you things. Things that are helpful to managing businesses and customers. However, there's an element that cannot be taught. The lesson on comfort of skin color, class, and cultural linguist. (I would never trade my degree in for the record).

     Take a white man. Put him in a suit. Tell him he has power. Don't teach him anything, but tell him he has a ton of responsibilities and all the jobs he needs to get done. Who will he hire first? Now take a black man do the same thing. Who will he hire first? Do the same for a Black woman, White woman, hispanic man, hispanic woman. These are the majorities of America. I am not going to include Asians (Middle Eastern, Chinese, Japanese, etc.) because they tend to stick by each other.

     Now to control your experiment, send a black man, black woman, and hispanic woman with all the qualifications in for an interview. Send a white man the least qualified, but with a good talking game. Send a hispanic man and white woman not as qualified as the first three.

     Without seeing this actual experiment, the results are predictable. This is what draws me to write this piece. The hardest working people in America are the people paid the least. After that it is the people with something to prove that they're not part of their historical image. That means Black people work the hardest, but are called the laziest, simultaneously willing to prove they're not the stereotype. Hispanic people, depending on their complexion, are also hardworking people.

     So why are black people less successful? Well, there are multiple answers for this question.

1. Black people have a hard time working together because of this genetic indifference to black slave ownership. When people work, unless they're being paid a lot, they feel like they're slaves.
2. Black people would rather work for a place they think they have an opportunity for advancement. A lot of black people don't believe in black owned businesses because they are programmed to think white people have all the opportunities, and it's a white man's world.
3. Black people always want discount. We want to feel appreciated for our business and opportunities granted. When an employee feels they want a raise, they have a hard time coping with a manager who has the same background as them and doesn't want to give that raise. This is the one thing that happens in reverse. Where the same person can feel entitled to a raise because they are of the same background. This happens even with white people, but interracially, it is less an issue. 
4. In a perfect world, if black people do work together, the next step is learning investments. The music industry is proof that black people can brand themselves. But that's a trap. Branding means you represent that company. How many CEOs do what Music Industry artists do? There's more to investing than your name, face, and opinion.
5. Black people have to merge and acquire failing businesses and markets and brand them. As a teenager, I wanted to be a rapper. I wanted to sell clothes, liquor, and open up restaurants. I never thought about owning a bank, finance company, law firm, a metals company, mining, oil, commodities that have value company. The small deals that are done today, they're small because these companies that do exist, bring in a face from pop culture to brand their company. For instance, Brooklyn Nets used Jay Z to bring them to Brooklyn. His share in the ownership of the team was minute. He gets checks, but they're pale in comparison to what owners really make.
6. Black people don't invest in black people. Instead of the war on class, there should be a peace movement to bring black people to the top. If this happens, you're looking at the improvement of America. Its no secret, Black people carry America on their bleeding backs. That's how it was done in 1776, 1886, 1996, and today.We're going to carry Americans, lets put them in a briefcases made by us, and make enough briefcases so we can all carry them. At the same time wearing tailored suits.
7. Black people leave each other to the wolves. This almost didn't get added. I actually had to meet with someone to get this point in. This is the most important of them all. Black people leave their children, friends, and family to the wolves to manipulate them. If one person's mind is infected, it can spread. Look at AIDS and Ebola. Leaving a vulnerable mind can kill an entire village of dreams. 

     If we followed all of these steps, that wouldn't guarantee us more successful as a people. I'm not trying to bash my people. But we're so negative. Negativity is the source of failure. We need to change our negative words to positive words. Instead of risks say opportunities. Instead of losses, say another chance. Instead of can't, say what you have to do to get it done. 

     The easiest way out is by creating your own luck. Fix your game so that you always win. I have more to say on this, but I want to explore other ideas. See what I did? I didn't want to say I don't feel like writing anymore, instead I found the true reason to stop this, to explore other ideas.

Aaliyah's Image Tarnished

     Where do I start? Was Lifetime too eager to take advantage of the revenue opportunity, in releasing this Aaliyah movie? I know one thing for sure, advertisements for this movie will be hard to obtain. I'm pretty sure lawyers are drawing up contracts that the advertisement budgets are not to be used on this film ever. 

     That's how bad this movie was. Wendy Williams is probably with her producers in an emergency meeting right now trying to determine how they will handle Hot Topics. We know she will be the hottest topic on her own show, catching a lot of flak. 

    We can only imagine the reaction she would have to her bio-pic. I am 1000% sure she wouldn't approve. In all of the executive producer meetings, did no one think this was a disservice to her brand and image? We should be celebrating this movie, not slamming it. No matter how bad the fans wanted this movie, they didn't want something thrown together like this.

     We can't blame Lifetime and Wendy Williams only. We can only blame them for using poor judgment in not having everything they needed to bring a legend's life to the big screen. From what I'm aware of, Aaliyah's family didn't approve the film. They did not want to share the R. Kelly love scandal in the movie. 

      My opinion on that is, if that doesn't make or break the movie why sacrifice the film to put that story out? There's so much more to this woman's life. You can't possibly find only one challenge in her life. The entire movie boils down to one challenge then a path of success and fame. No other struggles happened. If a struggle was portrayed it was that she couldn't get the roles she thought she deserved. One thing I learned from watching these bio films and writing my own rap songs is, all songs can be traced back to life. They can turn One in a Million into a story board. They can turn Four Page Letter into a story board. Back and Forth is a story. Try Again was the story of her life.

     In so many of these bio films, I do notice a trend. Jay Z is never portrayed in them. I was shocked how, in Notorious, Biggie's friend, and supposed to be business associate was never referenced. Dame Dash was Jay's manager and Co-CEO. They addressed what he does for Jay, but they manage to tip toe pass the relationship Jay and Aaliyah had. Timbaland and Missy were given probably 2 minutes of focus. So much more could have come out of the people she worked with. 

     If the film was boycotted, blackballed, or stalled, I think it was a bad idea to move forward with it. This was a complete utter failure. If she was alive, this would not have been a movie they would have approved to release. Selena's movie, TLC's movie, Tina Turner's movie, The Jacksons movie, Ray, all of them are classic movies, and watchable. This was bad. Her image TARNISHED.

Open Response to: An Open Letter to Bobby Shmurda

"the inferiority of the black race was built upon the idea of criminality; we were always criminally responsible even when we weren’t. We only held value when we represented money for our owner. We were only property that produced cash."
http://newculturevibes.wordpress.com/2014/11/14/an-open-letter-to-bobby-shmurda/

     I had to respond. If you haven't read the Open Letter to Bobby Shmurda please read it first. 

     My reaction to Ms. Imani Brammer's article is not completely negative. I'd have to categorize my response while reading it initially as "GTFOH" (Google that if you are unaware of the acronym's meaning). However, she does have some great points. I understand her intentions, and the overall point she's trying to get across. But Ms. Brammer's thoughts hurt more than they progress.

     Black Americans created Hip Hop. It was created in my home borough of The Bronx. Since its creation, it became a voice for a variety of classes, races, and ideas. Bobby Schmurda is just another voice. But lets not focus entirely on him, taking away an opportunity for him to earn an honest living. When it comes to music, focus on a bigger picture.

      I can go into details how Black Americans are the number one consumer. I can explain how Hip Hop culture advanced consumerism at the same level, perhaps more than Steve Jobs and Apple advanced technology. Before I do that though, I'd first have to explain - from an entertainment perspective - what Bobby Schmurda represents. He represents care free fun. 

     "Hot N----" isn't a hot song because of its content; nor is Chicken Noodle Soup, Walk It Out, Laffy Taffy, Wobble, and many other dance led songs. If it weren't for that dance, you may not have even heard the song, let alone see him showcase his music at Epic. Bobby Schmurda's Hot N---- is just a song to get people dancing. If you danced to it, if you had a great time while the song was playing, it did its job. 

     If you were really interested in content, you would've listened for that initially. And that is why I was compelled to respond. So many listeners are backwards. Hip Hop fans, the real base of the culture, listen to what an artist says, before they become compromised by the fact that they are listening to a beat that makes them move. Ms. Brammer, you are simply a listener of what ever comes on. You are not what you are attempting to represent. You are an enduser. Similar to the Facebook users that post the picture of "Facebook can access your camera and record without your permission". After you have used the material for what you wanted, you attempt to posture as someone trying to save others from perpetuating a "bad thing". Stop it 5!!! 

      Furthermore, you attempt to degrade him to a slave, working for the white man, destroying the entire black community one play at a time. Well damn, pardon the man for trying to achieve his dreams. But let me put you on to something dear. Bobby Schmurda is not the first violent rapper. He's damn sure not the first black rapper. He's also not the first rapper to come from an oppressed inner city, in which the dreams of having more force people to compromise their morals an values. You ever heard of Ice Tea? You ever heard of Jay Z? I know young people don't know much about him, from what I heard, he's wack, and Chief Keef is better (I really knew rap moved on at that point).

      I'm going to explain this to every reader, and quote me on this. Spread this word. Never condemn a person who is attempting to achieve success to a slave, working for the white man, and never claim they're destroying the black community unless they're literally doing such a thing with intentions of doing so.

     When white people, asian people, and any other ethnicity watch tv and perceive us how the news portrays us, we equate that to having a racial bias. When you blame a music artist, actor, or anyone who has a job for the degradation of our race, you're basically taking that job opportunity from someone who would excel. Taking that job opportunity from that person, let's say 50 Cent, means 50 Cent doesn't go on to have a stake in Vitamin Water. He doesn't make $300 million. He doesn't invest in SK which sends a dollar to feed the hungry for every like. He doesn't take that trip to Africa. He doesn't build that relationship with Chelsea Handler, and performs a farewell for her last show. 

     Don't assume because a person entertains they are encouraging people to behave in the manner they perform. You shouldn't hold them so high on a pedestal. If you need someone to worship, go to church. Michael Jackson danced with the dead, is he supportive of a zombie apocalypse? Scarface sold drugs wholesale, is Al Pacino mentioned to support drug distribution and use? Harry Potter was a sorcerer, does that mean Daniel Radcliffe supports witchcraft and wizardry? Its entertainment. Jay Z said, "Scarface the movie/did more than Scarface the music to me" which means stop living and dying by the words these people say. Instead categorize their music as love, action, drama, comedy, documentary, family. 

     As far as inferiority and criminals, black people are not either. There are more white criminals than black criminals. More white people use drugs than black people. More white people are on welfare than black people. We are not inferior, we are outnumbered. There are 42 million black people, 210 million white people. Read up on your census. 

     If you were really concerned about the black community, you'd get an education in finance or law. Partner with someone else who does the other, and help establish businesses, communities, and cultures of independence. Teach people to invest, then how to invest. Teach people their rights and why they should vote. I'm assuming you voted since you're so pro-black community. Educate others, and don't ever tear down characters in our story of black life. Everyone can contribute if everyone encouraged others to contribute.

     I myself am not tearing you down, but hoping you can open your eyes before you attack someone else publicly. I admire your voice, and with the views you've obtained, you can do so much more.

It's Time To Face An Independent Truth

     In 2008, we all witnessed history as the first Black president was elected to office in America. In that election, a waive of democrats rode in on the coattail of Barack Obama. For that, there wasn't a white Republican that voted McCain, that didn't claim black people voted for Obama for his race.

     In 2012, we witnessed a similar feat. This, of course, happened after Republicans defeated Democrats in midterm elections.In this election, it is rumored that a politician or someone close in the political circle said, "We don't know if this is Obama's turnout, or Our turnout.

     For years, black people have supported the Democratic Party. They were the party that were of the people. However, their party was not always for our people. That is an ugly history to them, which causes some people to stick with Republicans. The Democratic Party was the weaker party for a long time, and they didn't seem to have the ideas to run the country. Take a look at history. Since Abraham Lincoln, 18 Republicans and 11 Democrats have been elected as President.

     Republicans are far from what we need. Republicans believe, or insinuate, that welfare is majority Black and other minorities. They also think Black people are lazy. They want tougher immigration laws. When immigration is discussed by them, they make you feel like the only immigrants legal or illegal are Mexicans.I haven't heard tougher border security laws on Canada. Democrats has been a default choice for most black people, when Republicans portray the role of the racist party.

      While Republicans grandstand on ignorance currently, Democrats grandstand on deception. They appear to be for the people, right? What people? In 2010 Democrats tip toed, and most of them lost. In 2012, the party gained power back partially. In 2014, they damn near lost it all. Many strategist on both sides, blame Obama. But Obama wasn't up for election. No, if it was anything, it was the Democrats lack of using the same strategy that got them in. Bragging rights on what the party has done, and aggressively working to keep producing.

      If Obama is the leader of your party, if the people respond to what he is doing and has done, that should be your talking point. If he brings out Black Americans, Latino Americans, Youth, and Liberals, they should be talking to his people. Its no secret that he has defeated both of his Republican opponents by landslide wins. Yet Mark Warner in Virginia defeated Ed Gillespie by less than a percentage point. Most other Democrats lost.

     We witnessed Democratic candidates talk about working across the aisle, work with Republicans, and challenge Obama. It seemed as if Democratic candidates were the center Republicans running against another Republican or Tea Party Republicans. This is why they had such a hard time Tuesday. Remember Eric Cantor? The somewhat radical Republican, who was really a decent Republican compared to the Tea Party. Remember his devastating loss to David Brat, no one could have predicted? That was the clue. In a Republican on Republican race, especially if your a Democrat running a Republican campaign, the guy closest to the right wins.

      The truth is, it's time for Obama supporters to start looking for independent candidates. We are independent voters. We aren't really Democrats. We are the people. We are for each other. Obama had plenty of accomplishments that we voted for. Our voices are never heard by Democrats, but often heard by independents. By acknowledging we are independent, we force the hand of Democrats. We take away the power of Republicans, and when we speak, we speak loud and clear. We don't believe in any of the two party system's views. We want healthcare. We want economic prosperity. We don't want taxes cut for the wealthy and increased for us. We want more production from elected officials and less showman from so called representatives.

     If you can't respect that your ideals are corrupt, like a Republican woman. Black Mormon woman at that.

Obama, A Big Effing Deal

     This is not to praise Obama like our Lord and Savior. In fact, most of his support is portrayed just as that, when its just a favorable response from the people. Republicans can critique this by all means, but realize that our support, this article, and his re-election is not because we consider him a God.

     Many times a day, I'll here how much the president has not done anything for America, and I'm sick of hearing it. In 2007, I was a different person, so I cannot tell you how Bush Jr. was portrayed, Clinton was portrayed, and Bush Sr was portrayed. Like a cell phone video gone viral, I can only speak based on what I've seen. And what I see seems a bit racist, unfair, and unjust.

     If a dog hangs out with a bunch of flea infested dogs, would you say that dog probably has fleas? What about a person that hangs with a bunch of racist? What about a person that agrees, and relays the message of a bunch of people that are racist? Would you consider them racist? Of course politics is politics, and you'd really have to prove a racist agenda to convince people the person is racist.

     With elections on Tuesday, I decided to allow you to separate yourself from a racist agenda, that may have you convinced that Barack Obama is a lazy, no good, rights and freedom taking president. This may be a lot for you to come to terms with, so take it a bit at a time. I don't mean to doubt your intelligence, and you're probably going to doubt mine after this, but here goes nothing.

     Obama is not a failing, do nothing president because:

Gas Prices are down - I don't even have to explain this. I'd advise you to reminisce your gas prices from years ago. I know gas isn't the burden it once was.

Osama Bin Laden's dead - well, they say the public has a short memory. The family of the victims of 9/11 don't easily forget the person responsible for that horrid day. You may think that's nothing, but that's a Big Effing Deal.

Unemployment is down to 5.9% - this is a position that many will argue about. However, just remember the action that got us into this position. Millionaires and Billionaires said cutting their taxes will give us more jobs. I wonder if by "more jobs" they meant more Steve Jobs apple product, or were they referring to real jobs. Every time they say the jobs available are not standard pay jobs, I say speak to your billionaire representative that was supposed to make that happen. Maybe they're holding out until Obama is out.

63 months of economic expansion - you can't have one without the other. If people are working, people are spending. Offering more job opportunities. That's 63 months of that type of activity.

Stock Market up to record highs - I bet that's just a dagger in the Republican Party's heart. I mean the party of business, cannot get their ducks in a row, but constantly come at the democrat handling business to improve Americans earning potential.

     I'd like to keep going, but I'll let you research more. Here's more to think about:

• Averted a Depression
• HealthCare Reform, Affordable Care Act
• Two Women on supreme court, Sotomayor & Kagan
• Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act
• Saved Chryselr and GM and jobs at the same damn time
• Reduced deficit by 2/3

     Keep these things in mind when you're arguing with someone. I'd hate for you to spread Fox facts. 

Black Out: Until Hip Hop Is A Phoenix

     I just watched this video, and the information in it is nothing new. This is the talk that has been discussed for years. Black people don't believe anything is handed to us; must be genetic. The topics in this video discussed by Black Dot, author of Hip Hop Decoded are so believable that I felt compelled to give you a backdrop. Otherwise, you'd think we're just conspiracy theorist, or even worst "haters".

     It's important for you to understand, that in the beginning there was a raw culture of hip hop. Black, Puerto Rican, and Dominican people united for many reasons behind it. It was our thing. Created in my home borough of The Bronx, we ran it, we staged it, we sold it. By selling of course, we could fill a party with it. Hip Hop.

     Eventually Hip Hop spread. It intrigued lower levels of businesses. It attracted the second levels of corporate America, and eventually it made its way to the top. Its rise seemed like progress. The people responsible for the rise, historically, are still considered as pioneers and credited with moving Black America. We give them a pass, but we despise those that follow.

     What do I mean by give them a pass? Well, back in 1991, hip hop introduced one of its greatest rappers, Tupac Shakur. Tupac was more keen to whitewashing. He was very aware of black people's place in America, and how we are viewed. Despite his career moves, Tupac did most things because of his talents, versus crossing over. He is an example of a pass. You can't deny his role in Juice, Poetic Justice, and Above The Rim. At that time, I lived in Bronxdale Housing, and he resembled the people from my neighborhood. Tupac was in no way, in my opinion, a corporate sell out.

     Jumping up a few years later, we are reacquainted with Jay Z. Now Jay didn't act. Yes he appeared in a few movies, but he didn't act to crossover. However, Jay's population regularly increased. This is my first experience with the hip hop speculation. When Biggie was killed, a void was left. Jay Z took his spot. They were partners, in the business; rumors have it that before Biggie's death, Jay Z and Biggie were working on their own label called The Commission. Remember the line from Man of the Night "Just like ya soul. The Commission remains".

     Jay Z's opportunity had come at the helm of his friends death. One person told me Jay killed Biggie for the lime light. This is how preposterous the speculation gets. But like every conspiracy, there are some stories that are true. This wasn't one of them. Jay Z capitalized on his new popularity. This caused the talks about him to intensify. He also gets a pass, however, because everything Jay did was business. But he is also the beginning of the end.

     Dame Dash discussed recently how Jay Z can't do a lot of things because he's corporate. This is why I say he's the beginning of the end. While we must always act accordingly, Hip Hop doesn't encourage that. Hip Hop expects you to express yourself. He is a person that can walk that fine line because, we understand the aspect of how to act. We know his real character though.

     If we skip into 2014 to Iggy Azaela's incident with Snoop Dogg, we begin to see those corporate situations controlling artists. We are very convinced that our music is controlled by corporate people. Our culture no longer belongs to us, yet it is constantly used against us. The youth is pretty much hypnotized, and just takes things as they are because their options are nonexistent. I'm pretty sure my grandparents said that about my generation.

      Your question now is probably, what do we do? Well Hip Hop is the example. Hip Hop is the first lesson in what is really happening. This is not a conspiracy. The reason Hip Hop can slip away so easily is because its not black owned. Gangsta rap was a category at one point. Now its the entire genre. We have to take control of the genre and control who comes in and who is put out. Control what they wear to the extent that its presentable and clean, but still a resemblance of what the streets wear.

     We can't just regulate everything done within the Hip Hop community. We have to focus everyone in fields outside of music. We have to send adults back to school for law, accountancy, health, engineering, fashion, communications, marketing, and more.We have to support them and ensure their commitment to education. When we take ownership, we run things our way.

     We are branding ourselves into a box, leaving us with no artistic freedom - or any other freedoms for that matter. Black Dot makes a point, the youth want to hear from the minds their age, that lived through what they lived through. We're grooming failures because they're chasing the almighty dollar. If a rapper like Young Thug can say what he said about the St. Louis, Missouri tragedy and still get airplay with Lifestyle, the youth don't have a chance at their representatives speaking up for anything.

     Watch Young Thug's video. When Jay Z and Tupac entered the rap music industry, they had something called Artist & Repertoire. This is an artist who said it, outright, "I leave that to the critics and lawmakers." That's what they are all doing. They do it because they cannot legally speak on anything that they're not under contract for. The corporate representatives coach them on these things, and they don't have A&R's to do that for them as a representative of where they come from.

     Some may consider this a satire piece, but there's a bigger picture. This is just the first part to our renovation as a people. While you wait for my next piece, Black Out: Branding Ourselves Into A Cage, read my first two answers to our problems, Investment Club Challenge, Take Ownership of Your Earnings and  Black Wall Street, Harlem Renaissance Reborn.

What Happened to Conservative Black Television?

Dr. Farrah Gray is wrong for making me do this. I hate myself for this.

The Question:

     What happened to this? He was asking why we have lost these shows and traded down for shows like Love & Hip Hop, Housewives, and Bad Girls Club. This was posted October 14th.

     Like I said, I will hate myself for this because I know we didn't lose black shows, people moved around, and we acquired new shows. In fact, we probably have more black shows now than ever.

     In the picture above, we adored these shows. We had a constant fixation on these shows. But not just these shows. There's Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Family Matters, That's So Raven, The Cosby Show, and A Different World. As time progressed, the sophistication of television dwindled, along with the audience's education or desire for progressive shows, or that's what we're led to believe.

     I'm not writing this to prove Dr Gray wrong, but I am writing this to insert a correction. Yes a lot of black people watch Love & Hip Hop series, and Real Housewives. But remember, that can be substituted for what our parents, grandparents, and older relatives used to watch. Soap Operas ruled the airwaves in the 80s and 90s. That stuff was just as foolish as these reality shows.

     One show - I can't remember the name - had a woman have a baby by an older gentleman, that baby grows up quick, gets married, and then her mom has a baby by her husband. Then she rekindles things with her original baby father who has an ulterior motive. Don't ask me what show. I watched it over a week with my late grandmother. It was ... stupid, for lack of a better word.

     We can't be so quick to judge something there's a market for. Drama was a huge market when I was a kid. Now, Tyler Perry has his own series that is a throwback of soap operas, and let me tell you, my news feed indicates all my old friends and family watch it.

     Now, as for this picture, Steve Harvey has 3 shows. He's a host on Family Feud, a show I rarely watched until he made it hilarious to viewers. He has his own talk show, I can't stand to watch - it makes him look old, which he is, but ... never mind. He also has a radio show. Martin has a show with Kelsey Grammar. Queen Latifah has her own show. Piggy aka Regina from The Steve Harvey Show is on The Game with Tia Mowery from Sister Sister. All of those shows have viewers.

     The Wire went off, but drew many viewers. At least three of the actors from The Wire are on America's biggest TV series, The Walking Dead. The only show watched by more black audiences than The Wire is the new Starz hit Power. It doesn't stop there, however. Like I said there are probably more black shows than before. There's Treme, starring Wendell Pierce and Clarke Peters, both from The Wire. House of Lies, my favorite show starring Don Cheadle aka The GOAT. How about Scandal? Scandal is huge. Scandal is everywhere. Its prime time, or the definition of it. Now Gotham is on, produced by Will Smith's Overbrook. Finally, you have How To Get Away With Murder. I can't go on. It becomes redundant after that.

     I'm not trying to prove any points. Its just not a real question to ask about classic shows like the ones above, when television is bigger than those shows now. I would just like to say, since Love and Hip Hop comes on Monday nights, I have truly found a reason to say, "I hate Mondays".

Investment Club Challenge, Take Ownership of Your Earnings

Please review the link below for reference.

http://blackbronx.blogspot.com/2014/10/black-wall-street-harlem-renaissance.html

     I want to challenge my readers to come together, and create an opportunity to earn wealth. Create an investment club. You may be wondering how, why, and who, so I'll give you a boost; some direction. I'll use my personal situations to help you overcome these questions. I will forewarn you, this is a difficult task, and even more difficult to manage. So when you approach this assignment, make sure everything is documented and orchestrated. Anything that is spur of the moment, will be catastrophic.

Plan

     Start your investment club by writing down your plan. You want to document your plan, then you want to hold everyone else accountable for documenting their plan. You may not be the head, the president, or chairman of your investment group. Someone may approach you, and invite you into their group. If you have your plan already laid out, then you set that expectation and your standards.

     Not everyone's plans, goals, and ideals will align. Have you ever said, "if I won a million dollars, I'd invest some of it". What would you invest in? Who would you invest with? How much would you invest? You're just a ribbon in the sky, going wherever the wind takes you at that point. The sad part is, if you did win a million dollars, you would spend it on things you thought were investments, and get nothing out of those "investments", which boils your purchases down to consumption. See why you need a plan?

   Like I mentioned, you want to align your plan with others. Plan alignment, will make voting on investments an easier or smooth task. Diversity is important, but you really want like-minded individuals working with you. I'm not saying, don't work with people whose plan isn't like yours. What I'm mean, and I must be clear on it is, if they're a more risk oriented group, and you believe in studying before making investment decisions, then that may not be the group for you. Some groups will want to buy every penny stock or short, while others will look buy long or look for investments that pay consistent dividends.

     With a plan, you set your boundaries. Its your way in, its your way out. I have studied currency trades and every trader says have a plan, exit strategy, or something to that nature. Make it as long or as short as you want. The longer the more defined it should be.

Meet and gather

     Person to person contact is motivating, inspiring, and comforting. When you start your investment club, make sure your partners are comfortable. Don't set up your meeting once a month in the beginning. Team build with your partners for the benefit of loyalty and consistency. Team building gets people comfortable with you, and prevents them from misinterpreting something you say or do. When collecting money, someone is trusting collections will be on time, and someone is trusting money will be safe. Establishing a relationship is part of building an investment club, you do that by meeting and gathering.

     Ideas for meeting and gathering are:

1. Food - Everyone loves eating. There's no better way to build a bond, than breaking bread. Maybe have a beer, or other type of drink. You may not be looking for a friend, but inviting a partner for a Auntie Anne's pretzel and lemonade establishes small talk. Small talk puts both of your minds on the same page.

2. Recreational Activity - I visited a Park in Richmond, VA. Forgive me for forgetting the name. Anyway, this park inspired me, wanting to host competitive activities like baseball, football, and basketball games for team building. Bowling is another fun filled activity for team building, and carries a food benefit as well.

3. Other Activities - If you're religious, church is a great option. This isn't an ideal because not everyone has the same religious beliefs, but it is an option. Group activities if you're interested in the same movie is an idea. Also, Amusement parks, casino trips, the list goes on.

     Take the time to know who you're working with, how they think, and their fears. When investing, some risks are always involved, and you don't want panic or uncertainty spreading through the group. Those are things that can be a distraction and poison a group. That leads me into the next step.

Create a Board

     While politics can be frustrating, and most people dislike politics with a passion, it will always rise in group functions. Whether you are a fan of politics or not, to create a successful group, you have to place accountability, responsibility, and governance in the hands of certain individuals. By setting up a board of directors and a chairman, you establish your groups structure. Do not underestimate the effect this has, especially if you're going to recruit new members.

     Procedures for placing members on the board can be done by vote. This is where the politics get frustrating. This is also where your plan and gathering come together as an effective tool. Remember you're not running for the board to give only your ideas and run the group. Don't try to turn people one each other. Explain why you'd like to be voted as a board member. If you're not interested in that responsibility, be careful of those who attempt to do such things. I'll reiterate that you do not want your group to be overrun by confusion, distractions, and taking sides.

     Task the board of directors with various responsibilities, including in depth research on investment opportunities, networking, and group organization. The Board should not allow the members of the group to become dependent on their information solely. The Board needs to govern meetings as well. They should be reliable in taking notes, making decisions, and settling disagreements. They must know when a vote is needed, and a decision is required. The group should establish how often voting is done, and write it into your bylaws.

Raise Money, Purchase a place to host meetings

     I'm trying to get my investment group to 100 members. My idea on raising money is the more people you have, the less you have to ask for. It is underestimated how quickly you can raise money. Since its an investment group, people should come with the expectation of giving money.

     Use those funds for purchasing or investing. An investment group can start in a home, but retail property should be a goal. Investment groups become very powerful. Board Members can invite speakers, that costs money, but its beneficial. The more informed the group becomes, the more members will want to join. Host your meetings with an inviting setting. Have coffee, cookies, donuts, and tea available.

     Try to change the culture of group members, but don't try to change them. In my opinion, investing starts with perception. Sell a prosperous lifestyle, and they'll buy into it.

Below is a Microsoft Word version of bylaws on an investment club:

INVESTMENT CLUB
BYLAWS

Provisions of the Bylaws shall not be in conflict with the Partnership Agreement.

Article I. Purpose

To invest the assets of the Partnership in stocks, bonds, and securities for the financial and educational benefit of the Partners, while employing fundamental principles and techniques of sound investment practices.

Article II. Meetings (Regular, Special, Quorum)

§  Meetings will be held the third of each month and at other times as deemed necessary. Meetings may be canceled or rescheduled by a majority vote of all Partners present in a quorum at a given meeting.

§  Time of meeting shall be from to .

§  In the month of , the Annual Meeting shall be held in conjunction with the regular business meeting, at which time new officers will be elected and a full and complete Annual Accounting of the financial condition of the Partnership shall be made to the Partners.

§  Special meetings may be called at any time by the Presiding Partner. Also, any Partners may request a special meeting through the Presiding Partner, in writing. In all cases, special meetings shall be limited to the stated purpose, which must be communicated in advance to all Partners.

§  A quorum of Partners shall be present at any regular or special meeting in order for Partnership business to be conducted, e.g., buy or sell orders. A majority vote of the Partners present is needed to approve any Partnership business not otherwise specified in the Bylaws herein.

§  A majority of Partners shall be present at any regular, special, or Annual Meeting before the election of officers or amendments to the Partnership Agreement or Partnership Bylaws can commence. A majority vote of the Partners present is needed to approve amendments to the Partnership Agreement or Bylaws, or to elect officers.

§  Each Partner shall have one vote in all matters regardless of his capital account balance.

§  Any Partner who fails to attend consecutive regular meetings without being excused by the Presiding Partner from attending, or who fails to attend in any twelve (12) month period, will be considered for termination.

§  The use of written proxies is hereby permitted for those Partners unable to attend any regular, special, or Annual Meeting. A proxy vote will be counted when it pertains to a specific issue previously discussed by the Partners, not to issues brought up and decided at the missed monthly meeting.

Article III. Partner Positions and Duties

Initially on the meeting date when the Partnership Agreement is signed, and thereafter annually at the meeting to be known as the Annual Meeting, or as needed to fill any vacancy, Partners shall be elected by a majority vote of the Partners present, or by appropriate proxy, to the following positions and duties:

§  Presiding Partner:  Sets meeting dates and locations, appoints committees, presides over meetings, sees that the resolutions passed by the Partnership are carried out, and develops the educational program for the Partners.

§  Assistant Presiding Partner:  Takes the place of the Presiding Partner when he is absent or incapacitated.

§  Recording Partner:  Keeps a record of the actions authorized by the Partners, and notifies members of meetings and activities.

§  Financial Partner:  Keeps a record of the Partnership's receipts and disbursements and of the members’ interests in the Partnership. Places the authorized Partnership buy and sell orders with the Partnership's broker or transfer agent, or directly through a company, and prepares the Partnership's monthly Liquidation Value Statement.

§  Partner: Has signed the Partnership Agreement, been voted into the Club, and signed a statement agreeing to abide by the Partnership Agreement and Bylaws of the Partnership, or is a minor child family member who has a custodial account being managed by a Partner over the age of 21.

Nominations for officer positions will take place in of each year. If absence from the Annual Meeting is unavoidable, appropriate proxies may be submitted before the Annual Meeting to elect Partners to serve in officer positions.

Article IV. Removal of an Officer

If an officer of the Partnership (Presiding Partner, Assistant Presiding Partner, Recording Partner, or Financial Partner) does not fulfill duties required as described in Article III, that Partner will be notified in writing of the meeting at which removal from office will be discussed and voted upon. At that meeting, the Partner may present statements to the Partnership in an effort to retain the position.

Removal will occur if so voted by majority of the Partners present at the meeting or voting by appropriate proxy.

Article V. Guests

Partners may invite guests to any meeting of the Club.

Article VI. Contributions

Partners will make a minimum monthly investment of at the regular monthly meeting. Partners may also make optional additional contributions in any increment(s). Regular monthly contributions normally collected at meetings are due prior to the scheduled meeting for any planned absence, or by the end of the third day after the meeting from anyone who was unable to attend that monthly meeting due to an emergency or illness. No Partner's capital account shall exceed twenty percent (20%) of the capital accounts of all Partners.

Article VII. Standing Partners’ Administrative Costs

Each Partner will contribute yearly (at the Club's anniversary month meeting) to cover administrative costs of the Club. Any Partner maintaining a custodial account will pay yearly to cover administrative costs for the minor Partner.

Article VIII. New Partners’ Administrative Costs

New Partners must pay yearly administrative costs at the time of joining if membership occurs within six months of the Club’s latest anniversary month meeting; otherwise, they must pay .

Article IX. Transactions and Valuation Statement

§  Transactions:  Buy or sell actions shall be made by majority vote of the Partners present at the meeting. Any vote for such transactions will be put in the form of a motion after membership discussion at a regular meeting. Transactions between meetings cannot be made by polling Partners. If a vote is necessary prior to the regularly scheduled meeting, the Presiding Partner will call a special meeting of the membership.

§  Valuation Statement:  The Financial Partner shall prepare a monthly statement of liquidation value, effective the before the regularly scheduled monthly meeting.

Article X. Book of Account

The Book of Account shall be a complete set of accounts, consisting of assets, liabilities, individual Partnership accounts, and appropriate revenue and expense accounts. It shall use the double-entry accounting system.

Article XI. Annual Accounting

§  Each calendar year, a full and complete account of the condition of the Partnership shall be made to the Partners. The annual accounting shall take place at the Annual Meeting for the preceding year.

§  All financial transactions shall be reviewed semi-annually by a Partnership Audit Committee.

Article XII. Bank Account

The Partnership may select a bank for the purpose of opening a bank account. Funds in the bank account shall be withdrawn by checks signed by any Partner designated by the Partnership.

Article XIII. Broker Account

§  All securities shall be purchased in the name of the Partnership.

§  All securities shall be kept in the Partnership safe deposit box or with the broker.

§  The Presiding Partner and the Assistant Presiding Partner shall be the custodians of all securities.

In Witness thereof, the Partners have set their hands, the year, and the date below:

Partner (Printed Name)	Partner Signature	Date Signed

Why Is It Important For You To Vote

     Let's skip over all the injustices committed against native americans, blacks, latinos, and asians, because clearly that's not important to some of you. You don't live in the past right? Let's talk now and the future, which affects you and only you.

     If you're receiving food stamps you probably don't have the time to vote. You probably have children, and no one to watch them. If you're a hardworking independent woman, you probably don't have time to vote. You have to show your dedication. If you're a hard labor working male, the politicians don't understand you, and you're not going to favor neither liar. Here's the thing to all of these excuses: they are all perpetual to the cycle you're trapped in.

     The mom who needs assistance, you need to vote. They called Barack Obama the "Food Stamp" president. Why would they call him that? America had food stamps before him. By voting, mentally, you're taking responsibility. Imagine taking control of who gets voted into office. Imagine the person you vote for gets voted into office. Even if the person you vote for loses, your vote is a voice. 

     When they count the votes, and they here the people chose someone someone that favors people like you, that gives the base more encouragement to keep pushing. So imagine that kid of yours watches you vote. That kid says, "Mom, I'm going to be a politician so you can vote for me." That one kid goes on to perform well in school, so that he can learn law and politics. Multiply that kid times 20 of his classmates. They begin a chain of behaviors that lead them into health, finance, economics, science, and more. They create a network, and they build their own political party. Just imagine.

     How about the hard workers out there. They commit more to their jobs than to their votes, rights, and self. You miss out on opportunities that favor you. Healthcare Reform helped 10 million Americans get health insurance. How many of those 10 million Americans voted? How many of them voted for Barack Obama? How many supported his law after a slight derailment likely caused by Republicans?

     Friday, Real Time with Bill Maher had guest David Frum. He made statements, likely promoted by Republican politics and not his own research, about Healthcare Reform that he got completely wrong. He had to admit to that. What is an admission, when you've already influenced millions of Americans, who still believe your wrong words? If he got it wrong, then why are politicians still running on the same propaganda?

     Hardworking Americans need to vote. Your company threatens you all the time, in all sorts of ways. That's an example of what they're trying to do politically. They're stripping you of your rights. This past summer, corporations wanted to have unlimited spending on elections. The Supreme Court supported that effort. They are not favoring the people. Corporations are exploiting a loophole that corporations are people, when really, they are wealthy stakeholders and some people.

     We have to be smarter. Set the example for the children that come behind us, and align politician's goals with those of the people. "We the People" is what it's about. Go out there and vote.

Black Wall Street, Harlem Renaissance Reborn

     I am not a person that comes from a prestigious background. I'm from the Bronx. I lived in Bronxdale Housing as a kid. I feel like my epiphanic moment was delivered over years of influences and imagination. A puzzle assembled over time and experience, through creativity. So when I explain this idea to you, take it in pieces and look it up for yourself. Anyone can do it, not just people of my race or background.

     I have spent many years trying to obtain wealth. I still try too. However, one day I was encourage to bank with Black Owned Banks, which led me to decide we need more black banks.

http://urbanintellectuals.com/2013/10/03/did-you-know-there-were-21-african-american-owned-banks-in-the-country/ 

     The link above provided me information on black owned banks. I couldn't understand why I didn't know this before. Is it because I'm from New York? Because I live in big cities? How come I'm 32, and black owned banks were only something I've heard of in history books? My conclusion was performance, distribution, and advertisement.

     Without a full investigation into each bank, I cannot condemn them to any verdict. I can only theorize, and use that as my approach when considering opening my own. I decided to look up how to open my own bank.

http://www.federalreserve.gov/faqs/banking_12779.htm

     I learned about contacting the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the differences between the types of banks, and the procedures - step by step.

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2014-title12-vol1/xml/CFR-2014-title12-vol1-part5.xml

     With all of that information, I realized, "man, you need money and a lot of it". The best type of bank to have is a bank holding company. A bank holding company is a company that owns and/or controls one or more U.S. banks or one that owns, or has controlling interest in, one or more banks. A bank holding company may also own another bank holding company, which in turn owns or controls a bank; the company at the top of the ownership chain is called the top holder. The Board of Governors is responsible for regulating and supervising bank holding companies, even if the bank owned by the holding company is under the primary supervision of a different federal agency (OCC or FDIC). I felt compelled to see what bank holding companies are out there. http://www.ffiec.gov/nicpubweb/content/help/institution%20type%20description.htm 

http://www.ffiec.gov/nicpubweb/nicweb/top50form.aspx

     I found some of our favorite businesses are bank holding companies. That explains their success, and why they're so successful. The worlds best investor, Warren Buffet was able to transform his company into a bank holding company.

     So with that, why aren't there more black owned bank holding companies? For a long time, we've watched rappers, movie stars, and black executives make a lot of money. We also watched them spend a lot of money. Will Smith made me proud when he started Overbrook. http://www.overbrookent.com/ To me, that's kind of a big deal.

     Black Owned Businesses are a huge start into making powerful moves and helping us out. However, we have to take that money we make and put to use and not wear, drive, or eat it. Anyone who makes more than $10 million a year is capable of being a major shareholder in a bank. Anyone with $1 million can work with others to influence. Everyone below those thresholds are contributors that can make a difference. As a result, black owned businesses can assemble and control their communities.

     Like I said, I'm from New York. When I would step out of my home, I had a independently owned grocery store. The surrounding businesses were minority owned small businesses. You know what I didn't see much of? Banks. While you would see a Bank of America every few blocks, there weren't a lot of other types of banks. If these minority owned businesses came together, they can offer loans at better rates. They know the purchase habits of their people. They can finance their own people.

     Some may see this as a transfer of wealth. However, we have been transferring our wealth to the 1% for decades. This was being done without a cause. They don't need our money as much as we need our money. If we can build our own, like they did in Oklahoma and Harlem, we can do so much more. It doesn't stop there, that's just the beginning.

Stay tuned for my post on trade, GDP, and exports/imports.