Is Marches For Racial Equality A Hustle?

Writer Brad Bathgate offers a thought on leaders calling for marches.

 

When you hear Black leaders talking about wanting to March to Washington, D.C. to address racial issues in America, they are either delusional or they are hustling you.

Talking Black! Activist Oskar Castro On Rachel Dolezal's "Tran-Race"

 

Oskar Castro is a poet and activist and father that lives in Philadelphia.

Editorial : Can Black People Transfer Race?

 

When marginalized Black folk can suddenly decide that today they will enjoy ALL the benefits of White privilege and nobody opts to care let alone shoot up their holy space, THEN will race be fluid. Race is a social construction that works for oppression, no doubt, but until White folk give up their hatred and privilege absolutely, it must factor into a socio-political-economic analysis.
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One Mother Leads her family Into A New but Important Tradition

Editorial  From Miss Nikki Banks

 

 

Yesterday I was telling my oldest two children about Juneteenth and why we will be celebrating that day instead of 4th of July from here on out (blacks were still slaves in America when America gained independence from the British)... My son asked why he can't go to a school that teaches real history and I told him if there are any I don't know of them but that's what he has me for, to correct the false teachings of American public schools... So with that being said, I'll be having a BBQ on Friday to celebrate the "freedom" of Blacks in America... Family and friends, you're invited to join in the celebration...


Editor's Note: Thank You Miss Banks. We encourage other parents to help fulfill  their children's education.

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KEEP CALM AND ALLOW OPINION...Even Kanye's

 

 

Vanessa Jordan From The National R&B Society

Responds To Kanye's Reaction at The Grammy's and The Reaction to The Reaction!

 

I am not a Kanye West fan, nor do I agree with interrupting an honoree's moment. With that said, I shouldn't be, but I am amazed by some, that seem to be having an emotional reaction to his minor breech of protocol. It is one thing to say, he was disrespectful, it was tasteless, I don't like him etc., but the derogatory things that are being said like... a$$ wipe, a piece of S%!t, he's scum, he should catch a disease and die etc. is crazy. Why the meltdown? Protocol is broken everyday in congress, people yell out and interrupt the President while he is speaking and/or being honored. It would be nice to see President Barack Obama defended with that same passion when he, HIS TITLE and FAMILY are being disrespected everyday. For the record, Kanye has every right to say how he feels about who won or didn't win a Grammy and/or question the process.

 

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Mighty Hip...The Future Of The Funk...

How Mighty Hip Is Giving Artists and A&R
What They Really Need!

 

 

 

 

I guess you can say I am an entertainment industry vet.

I remember life looking for talent before the internet.

I would travel in the cold to Philly, DC, NY to try and find great new talent. In my wait to find great new talent I would find a lot of people that had the nerve to get on stage and drive and many were very nice, but not a lot had great talent.

 

I am soooooo glad that the internet has come.

 

In recent years I have been able to find talent and contact them and get them on my radio show and directly to the ears of my listeners all with in a few days.

 

Now thanks to the good people at www.MightyHip.com.

The process of finding talented singers, poets, musicians, comedians and artists of all kinds has just gotten even easier.

The great news is that Mighty Hip is not just asking you to post your music/sound they are investing in the top artists by taking them on tour for PAID PERFORMANCES!

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Artists

Go to Mighty Hip.Com and download the ap, register and you can share one minute clips.

 

Artists

People like myself will know if we can help you in any way in less time than a minute. So it's a win win for the artists and the producers/A&R and entertainment professionals and veterans.
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Here's Where The News Gets Better.

Starting in January I will be profiling and interviewing MY Favorite Artists from MIGHTY HIP on FM 91.7 WLFR.

So whether you've been a part of my radio shows or other show on broadcast or internet radio?
Or if you are just starting out?

MIGHTY HIP.COM is the best way to get enough of your music out to the people that want to hear it.

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Votes Count
Once you are comfortable with the process, get your fans on the site to vote for your music.

The top vote getters get to tour.
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The Music Revolution Is Here....

Get On Board or Get Out Of The Way!

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Just An Opinion: Our Girls Are Gone Part One

Our Girls Are…Gone Part One By Raymond Tyler

In recent weeks I have been on the sidelines while all kinds of things have been going on in social media that I wanted to address. I wanted to address them…didn’t address them.

The number one reason is because in 2014 if some one says “Mustard and ketchup are different” the people that believe mustard and ketchup are he same thing will argue and fuss and throw tantrums till someone’s head explodes. Meanwhile, neither side is really listening, except for an opportunity to call the person on the opposing side an “idiot” or some other negative word.

First of all, it is truly stupid in my humble opinion to argue with someone that has a closed mind.

Second, it’s even dumber to approach an opposing idea with a closed mind…there are people who would have wanted you burned at the stake for saying “the world is round.”

Third, the dumbest is the person that dismisses an opposing argument with “you’re an idiot.” I have seen so many issues when examined with a rational and thoughful mind that have more than one right way to look at them. (Hey for years there was NO evidence that The World WAS Round.)

I don’t know what happened to “agree to disagree” and move on but I clearly missed the funeral.

With that said…

I was enjoying my version of “The Sunday Paper”…CBS’s Sunday Morning and while going over the headlines Charles Osgood announced that the leader of Boko Haram said in effect that the over 200 school girls he kidnapped where married off and would never see their familes again.

While I love Sunday Morning, Osgood read it like he was reading the football scores from Saturday’s College Football.

After I composed myself I thought about everything that has been assaulting me in the news from women being kidnapped on the streets on camera to the woman who walked around New York with a camera for 10 hours to make a 10 minutes video proving “street harassment” is a problem.

So I knew I would have to sit down and write this editorial and again place words that people do not want to hear in front of them. The bad news is that I know for people that have closed minds and won’t change, they are most likely to accuse me of everything from “hating women” to being “an abuser” of some kind. I will address that in a moment.

The good news is…that if I’m right…. maybe someone with an open mind will read something that help’s them and help’s the women we love stay safe.

More good news is that I will read and consider every opinion of disagreement and evaluate it from a LOGICAL stand point. The emotional and the ridiculous will be treated as such.

I LOVE WOMEN. I BELIEVE MEN HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB…WORKING WITH WOMEN TO HELP KEEP THEM SAFE…I WROTE AN EDITORIAL ABOUT IT. LIKE TO READ IT? HERE IT GO!

I LOVE WOMEN

I love women. I have a mother that I love and care about. I have a beautiful intelligent niece. These are the first two people I wanted to hug and thought about after hearing about the marriages and enslavement (rape) of the 200 school girls in Africa. I cannot imagine what I would do. I love my niece and because I love her and I know the world we live in… she has rules. Not because I do not love, not because I think she’s inferior. The opposite is true she’s a lot smarter than I was at her age. My niece has rules and the rules sometimes are less a reflection on her as it is a result of the world we live in. From eating vegetables to not playing in traffic to holding my hand when we are in a store, these rules are meant to try our best to keep her safe. Likewise there are things I ask my mother to do that seem like common sense to me. For example with the holidays coming up we ask Mom to try and do big ticket shopping with either myself of my brother, because we do not want her hit in the head and robbed or worse. Again we realize my mother is not at fault for wanting to go shopping alone…however…being from Atlantic City …my mother also knows that people watch and look for the opportunity to take advantage of weaker people. Again this is an indictment of the world not my mother. I love women…all women.


If you take nothing else from this article…please.
HELP THE MEN THAT LOVE YOU KEEP YOU SAFE!!!

Just an Opinion: Raven Symone NOT BLACK ENOUGH FOR YOU...?

Here are my thoughts on Miss Symone.

1. She has been in the public eye since before she could remember.
She IS most likely tired of both labels and the spotlight but still enjoys working as an actress.

2. I blame parents for not just Ms. Symone's dis connect but many children and now young adults I come across. Their parents did not define and share what it means to be Black.
There were no sharing of Roots and Malcolm X ...so that now we have adults that believe the struggle is not having an iPhone 6.

3. When you do not have parents that have defined being Black.
The media has no problem defining Black as crude hip hop videos, crime on the news and the real housewife shows.
If those are how you see Black as opposed to Maya, Coretta, Ossie?
Then I would not honestly run to call myself Black either.

4. I believe in time Ms. Symone will realize that over all the problem is an America thing and not a Black Thing.


5. This IS America...and she has every RIGHT to not want to be Black. And not wanting to be Black IS Part of The Black Experience as well...

 

 

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Key and Peele ....Back Again and SMART....words By Raymond Tyler

I like comedy.

PERIOD!

Not Black Comedy, White Comedy, Dark Comedy....to make a long explanation short....there are two kinds of comedy to me....Good and Not Good.

In the same day I can enjoy Sanford and Son, Seinfeld, Monty Python and Eddie Murphy's Raw.

They all have elements of intelligence and revolution.

With that being said, I watched the pilot episode of Key and Peele some years ago and dismissed it as watered down version of Chapelle show.

For most of the time that Dave Chappelle has been off Comedy Central his show has still garnered the highest ratings even with out new shows being produced.

Back to Key and Peele.

There new season premieres ironically the same week as another "black show" Black-ish (on ABC) which has had very mixed reviews with in it's target audience. (No surprise , try and get the millions of Black folk in America to even agree that President Obama is Black or not muslim.)

Whatever short comings I may have found with the pilot episode have gone after seeing the promo clip of preparing a black family for a gay wedding. This skit is one of the most intelligent and truly funny moments I have witnessed in TV history.

The skit captures the essence of a black family (how I believe mine would re act) asking questions about a "gay wedding."

After 3 years I am ready to give Key and Peele another look...with this skit...they earned

 

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Blackish Review of The Pilot Words By Raymond Tyler

Let me say that because of the lack of depth in the current offering of programs that feature people of color I wanted to love and embrace ABC's new comedy Blackish.

First I want to like anything on TV that does not show grown black women acting like mean girls waiting to go to prom and throwing liquor on people.

Second, I believe ABC wants people to love Blackish too. Evidence in the fact that it premiered opposite their (ABC's) number one show Modern Family.

Although catch the follow article where I chronicle ABC's past sins with great black shows they had in the past.

When it comes to the new show Blackish I give the first episode a B minus.

Here's what I thought of Blackish.

• The opening was better than expected. As a person that has been the first black and only black at places like The America Red Cross and Atlantic City Weekly, you always feel like you are under a microscope. And those are the good times. I definitely identified with the scene where Anthony Anderson imagines a safari tour coming down his street and saying his family was "mythological".

• I recognized the different family members. I knew the wife that seems to be concerned with the money rather than the well being of her husband. I recognized the teen ager wanting to play hockey to fit in at school.
• I loved that the wife was not more concerned with the money and the teenager had a master plan behind playing hockey.

Here's what I didn't love.

• Blackish could have a little stronger writing.
• After watching The Middle and The Goldbergs and Modern Family I was about "family-ed" out. That being said, giving the individuals on Blackish some serious character development can really make the show sharp. 5 years ago I would have said they have too many characters on the show but that doesn't seem to hurt The Big Bang Theory on CBS which seems to increase its cast each year. The large cast works on ABC's The Middle (a show I love) and CBS's Big Bang because the characters have defined personality that makes them appealing.
  Right now... Anthony Anderson and Tracey Ellis Ross's characters are written and directed as parents with as much flavor as June and Ward. At times the looked like they were almost reading lines. Now Laurence Fishbourn as the grand dad does bring a lot of personality to his role.
• If Blackish is going to survive among the 3 very strong comedies that ABC has on Wednesday...the show will have to forge its way out of the shadows of those comedies and find a way to shine on its own. I have faith the people involved can do it.

As actors I love Anthony Anderson and Tracey Ellis Ross and I pray that Blackish not only works for them, but will bring some other great black actors to the small screen in guest roles. I also hope that CBS and NBC will join in and green light some shows with Black, latino and Asian casts. There are a lot of stories to tell and deeper realities to show.

WATCH BLACKISH WITH THE FAMILY.

Years ago when I was a kid we watched Good Times and then talked about what we just saw.
Infact with many episodes of Good Times we never stopped talking about those shows.
I hope and pray that Blackish has that kind of impact on people moving forward.

Raymond Tyler is a poet, freelance writer and motivational speaker.

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School Dazed...Why Nicki Minaj SHOULD be Sppeaking at Her Old School Words By Raymond Tyler

Well it seems rap star Nicki Minaj will NOT be going back to school this September.
According to her twitter feed the principal at the high school from which she graduated declined her offer to speak to students.
I usually support teachers and principals but here's my little list on why Nicki should have been allowed to speak (although I would not use her stage name in the any way at a public school.)

1. Everyone should offer to go back to their high school to speak and volunteer.
For whatever reasons we all can't be Nicki Minaj, however we can all go back and help the students that are sitting in the seats we were in.
Her appearance may have inspired not just the students but the parents and her adult fans to get more active in the community and in education.

2.She Could Have Challenged The Students.
Imagine what would have happened if she challenged students to graduate and then offer several opportunities.

She could offer a graduate or graduates opportunities to work on her staff as assistants or summer interns.

She could have offered opportunities to work in the studio or even record.
All types of wonderful chances to work with "Team Nicki" but get that diploma.

Lastly, she could/should have challenged the graduating class of 2014 to come back and create opportunities for students in the future.

In fact you may have some youth that will now never come back.

3. Let The Students Decide.
Many people that have never shaken hands with Nicki Minaj have problems with her.
Granted I would not want her giving my niece life advice but my niece is 6 years old, not 16.
At 16 young people are just learning who they are and deciding what kind of adults they want to be and high school is a dress rehearsal.
Students in high school I found are more perceptive than we give them credit for.
So letting them hear Nicki speak not a bad idea. Letting students on stage to party with Nicki? Terrible idea because teens are impulsive.
Allow the students to hear what Nicki has to say.
The students need to hear from many voices. Our youth are smart enough to decide what parts of a person's life inspires them and what parts do not. That will be true whether the guest speaker is Nicki Minaj , Michelle Obama and any other speaker.

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The Light To Sponsor Several Performances at The Alternative Soul Old School Festival On August 31st

The Little Wellness Arts Channel.com, The Atlantic City Beat.com, are presenting a one day family festival and reunion on Sunday August 31st.
Right now the location is secret but it will be at an out door venue that will offer kick ball and volleyball for kids and kids at heart that want to play.
There will be food.
There will be workshops.

As usual with The Alternative Soul Brand there will be once in a life time performances.

From The Light's Roster of Easy Stars...we'll be welcoming to the stage....

 

Miss April "CHOCOLATE GIRL" Williams a silky smooth vocalist with passion and power!

 

The Farmer Boyz bring two generations of hip hop and showmanship together for a show that should not be missed!

 

 

Spinning The Classic will be DJ Troubleman

from 96.1 FM WTTH The Touch's Back In The Day Café

and 91.7 FM WLFR's Wayback Machine.

 

JBleu will be on hand to share new music from her dynamic new CD.

 

Other presenters already confirmed include Hesh's Fitness Presentation from LIFE STUDIOS.

And poetry from Professor Donnetrice Allison of Richard Stockton College, music from ARGO, a Gospel Finale featuring the music of 4:19 and more.

 

If you would like to audition to be a part of The Festival, Volunteer, Donate or Become a Sponsor?

Please contact Raymond Tyler at 609-453-8851 or
RaymondCTyler@gmail.com

 

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Spike Lee's Inviting You Back To Brooklyn For A Celebration of The 25th Annivesary Of DO THE RIGHT THING!

Join Me TOMORROW at the Block Party celebrating the 25th Anniversary of DO THE RIGHT THING. I'll be taking pictures and signing autographs. It is all going down on the single block where the film was shot 25 years ago on STUYVESANT AVE between LEXINGTON and QUINCY in DO OR DIE BED-STUY from 12 NOON to 6PM. Take the J train to the MYRTLE AVE stop or the A/C train to the UTICA AVE stop and walk on STUYVESANT up to QUINCY and LEXINGTON. We will have DJ OOO Child, DJ Parler, MICK, DJ Spinna and DJ Scratch spinning and Special Surprise Guests.- Spike Lee (via his facebook)

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