I Think It's Okay To Be Happy...despite Our Loss By Raymond Tyler

I have just now heard of the passing of Dr. Maya Angelou.

Yes! My Heart Is Sad!

However, when I think of that warm smile....and the words she gave that always played like music....
it is so hard for me to remain sad.

There are few artists that I felt "BROKE CHAINS" in almost everything they did with their craft.
Maya Angelou was one such artist.

Her body is gone from us.....and the world is now not as bright as it was just yesterday.

However, that leave even more work for those of us here....



Leaves us with more of a responsibility to create art that is about LIFE, PURPOUSE, BREAKING CHAINS...

I do think it's okay for us to happy on this sad day.

I think it's okay to remember the ground she broke for Black writers with the success of I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS!

I think it's okay for us to happy and recall every church service, youth gathering, or other public event where someone or a group of young ladies performed STILL I RISE!

I can't be sad when I recall her discussing with joy playing the matriarch of The Kinte Family in Roots.

When I think about the hundreds of young people I taught poetry by having them read in a group
"LIFE DOESN'T FRIGHTEN ME AT ALL." I smile.

When I recall her poetry and acting on The Richard Pryor Special....my heart swells with pride and my face smiles.

Today is one of the saddest days I have ever known.....but I hope it's okay to smile.

I pray that she would have wanted to be missed and she is dearly....but I pray that she would not want people to feel sad or defeated....because I don't. I feel happy that God lent her to us. That she thought it not a crime to a good person. I feel happy for all that she gave to this world and hope that one day....I can give half as much back.

Enlightening Opinion: Rage Against The Rachet

 

 Grammy Award Winning Producer Carvin Haggins

 is called for a RAGE AGAINST THE RACHET

 

 

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Mr. Haggins believes that the time is now for people to do more than just complain about radio.

Here Mr. Haggins lays out his problems with radio at this moment. He shares lyrics and explains why they are hurting our kids and community.

He then discusses SOLUTIONS

We applaud this video and thank Carvin Haggins for allowing us the opportunity to share this with you.

 

Please share your feelings

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Enlightening Opinion: Music Insider James Elam Discusses The DJ's Role In Messed Up Messages

 

 

Are DJ's The New Drug Dealers
Words By James Elam

 

The New Drug Dealers
I saw friend put a post on Facebook that she was interviewing the RZA from the Wu-Tang Clan. Coincidentally, he was going on in 5 minutes.
I tuned in.
He spoke for a minute before they went to music break. Unfortunately the music was so toxic that I could not stay tuned in to listen to the interview. It was 8:45 AM in the morning and the songs were about selling drugs, popping bottles and clubs, bitches not being loyal. The typical poison being programmed into the airwaves.
This begs the question that was raised in an article that I read this week. Are DJs the new drug dealers? Selling us poison. For money. Selling us all out for Shekels. Are DJs the ones that are now responsible in great part for the destruction of our society as the responsibility of the DJ has always been to teach, program, and medicate his followers. And they've taken the ability to give that prescription and infused it with poison willingly for money?
All hail my corporate master, for his wish is my command. Now drink, my children!

James Elam is a music and entertainment insider and veteran as well as the head of Prominent Pictures and Eternal Crescent Media. He will discuss his thoughts on DJ's spinning bad messages on an upcoming episode of The AM Report.

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FEAR OF A DARK FILM ...Words By Raymond Tyler

 Today people define themselves for themselves more than ever.

Or at least they can if they choose too.

Many of my friends complain about the state of mainstream art, whether it be hip hop, tv or films.

The truth is that great and powerful art is being created but most people would rather watch the modern day minstrel shows that are pro sports, mainstream hip hop and reality shows.

Today we have an opportunity to help film maker Mya Baker help us all and by supporting an important film that will help generations to come.

The project is called Afraid Of The Dark. I am impressed that this will be the film that defines Black Manhood in the 21st century. Not the gangster/rap fantasy garbage that Hollywood has been feeding us. Not the parade of men in dresses that Hollyweird has been selling as Black Male Sexuality.

Baker's lens allows intelligent, diverse black men to explain and express themselves.
Just the trailer was thrilling for me because it revealed Black Men discussing many of the things that unfortunately people I know are scared to talk about even when the camera isn't rolling. You have men discussing their frustration with the images being sold of us such as Le Bron posing as King Kong on a national magazine complete with white woman. The film allows men to speak back to the white and black people that expect your educated black man to live up to these moronic images.

For Afraid The Dark to have the impact it should have, Mya Baker can not do this alone. Nor should she have to. I am proud to offer my donation to the completion on this film and hope to interview her very soon.

For all that believe their fathers, sons, and uncles are more than cartoon images of poorly trained savages...I ask you to throw whatever support you can to this film. Please make a $5 donation or at the very least spread the word to people who can and will.

You can make a contribution to their kick starter at
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/afraidofdark/afraid-of-dark

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Remembering Dr. Jack Ramsay

With all the talk about The Clippers and Donald Sterling what has been lost is remembering the legacy of coach and broadcaster Dr. Jack Ramsay.

Meeting Dr. Jack was something I wanted to do for two very selfish reasons.

Number One-Out of all the basket ball commenters I have ever heard, there were precious few as good as Dr. Jack.

He could break down a play in a way that thrilled me as a hardcore hoops fan and educated me as a ball player.

As someone who sits in front of a mic. I just wanted to thank Dr. Jack, treat him to lunch and then ask him all the questions I have about becoming a better on air journalist.

Number Two-Dr. Jack's Basket Ball IQ was amongst the best I ever heard discuss the game.
Again he talked about basket ball, plays, players, defenses, offenses, policy and people...in a way that was warm and invited. I pictured being at the games with Dr. Jack and him talking directly to me about what was happening in time outs and why certain plays worked and why other plays broke down.
Listening to Dr. Jack call a game, I felt like we were both at the game and he would be bumping me and just showing me all the little things that only someone with his knowledge of the game and the broadcast booth could know. I was always excited to turn on ESPN radio and hear that he was doing the game.

I wish I had the words or the insight to do justice to his memory right now...
What I can say is that listening to a basket ball game will never be the same again.

From Dr. Jack's Wiki Page-
John Travilla "Jack" Ramsay (February 21, 1925 – April 28, 2014) was an American basketball coach, commonly known as "Dr. Jack" (as he held an earned doctorate, see below). He was best known for coaching the Portland Trail Blazers to the 1977 NBA Title, and for his broadcasting work with the Indiana Pacers, the Miami Heat, and for ESPN TV and ESPN Radio. Ramsay was among the most respected coaches in NBA history^[2] and a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

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ESPN's Mike and Mike, Bomani Jones, Dan Le Batard and Jemele Hill Getting it right on The Donald Sterling Issue.

So many layers to this Donald Sterling/NBA story. Well I reemed Mike and Mike when I thought they were wrong.
I think the reporting of Mike and Mike the last two days forced Adam Silver to Ban, Donald Sterling as much as anything.
Props to Jemele Hill for hitting the nail on the head.
As long as Donald Sterling was hurting poor Black and Latino people. His actions were of no concern to The NBA. He merely insults Magic Johnson and the NBA is in danger of loosing money...now Donald Sterling is the devil.
No there are a lot of devils on this one.
Sterling is just the one being forced to wear the mustache and horns.

Shout out To Bomani Jones and Dan Le Batard

for getting the story right from the get go.

 

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The Clippers Blues: Words By Raymond Tyler

Less than 72 hours since recorded conversations of LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling have been released and I have A Sterling Hangover and Clipper Blues.

Why?

Well I am ashamed to say, that most of the black people I know willing to speak about the situation feel that as long as your getting paid it's okay to be made fool of as long as your Black.

These same Black people will not tolerate gay slurs, but Black slurs are okay as long as they get some money out of the deal.

I am truly ashamed by this thought process but this is America.

I do not have to interact with these people and they do not have interact with me.

I have tired of the boycott discussion mainly because a number of white people have said that this moment in time is bigger than a game including former coach Jeff Van Gundy. So Black people have said I'm crazy for believing The Clippers players could have followed in the giants steps of Bill Russell, Jim Brown, and other Black Athletes that have set them up to be millionaires.

Still in the middle of my Sterling hangover and my Clippers Blues I would like to make a few points.

1. Like It Or Not Sterling Said What Was In His Heart.

White men have been able to sleep around with Black women when ever they wanted with out repercussion for more than a century. The unwritten law however, is the white guy does not want his Black woman to have a lot of contact with other Black men.

In fact white guys in general do not want any woman they care about to be too friendly with black men I have found in my own experience. So when Donald Sterling said it wasn't a good look for his girl friend to be on instagram with Magic Johnson...it's not that amazing. I have heard it from plenty of white guys that do not own NBA teams.

Now when he said he didn't want her to bring Black people to the game? That's the part that kind of set me off.

2. Like It or not The NBA is as close to a slave league as you can get.
In my opinion David Stern has backed several policies that targeted Black Players any way.
My respect for most NBA players has decreased steadily since the dress code and age requirements were in acted to directly address BLACK PLAYERS with out using the words "black players."

3.Like It Not Donald Sterling SHOULD NOT BE FORCED TO SELL HIS TEAM.
Would I play for Donald Sterling...? NOPE
However, this is America and he has the right to say anything he wants about Blacks and Mexicans.
Sterling has the right to hate anyone he wants.
Raymond Tyler will defend his rights to do so.
Here's the problem.
If you run off Sterling for hating Blacks, can you run out another owner for not liking America, for being a Muslim, for any personal bias he/she may have?
Theoretically not in America.

In America , Donald Sterling has the right to hate and speak racially biased against any one he likes as long as he does not physically harm them.

Anytime we put a tax on free speech be it: public, private, pretty, or ugly....we are all coming close to a very steep ledge.

SOLUTIONS: A friend of mine named Harve Nichols, I believe came up with the best solution.
Let's use this as a reason to examine opportunities in The Clippers organization and The NBA for minorities that do not play ball. And where there should be more Blacks, Women, ECT. let's make sure they are given the chance. Likewise, lets look at opportunities for minority businesses to work with The Clippers/NBA and where that needs to be fixed, fix that.

In the mean time we will be discussing these issues and more live on Saturday May 3rd at 7pm.

The discussion can be heard via Ustream at

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/live-from-little-wac-saturday-night

 

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