Tea Isn't Only For The Morning

As your favorite, fashion connoisseur you've probably noticed I don't usually post coonery like this on YGT. But, with the slow news day I thought 'Why not give you readers some afternoon tea?' I'm on twitter as you all know (twitter.com/fashionguru88) and about 2 days ago I came across a random picture of Soulja Boy posing in the mirror(pic on the left). Now, I didn't think nothing of the picture aside from the fact this boy is bored and doesn't have nothing better to do than pose in the mirror. I then get on Twitter today and see Soulja Boy ranting about a new picture that's got the Twitter fam and Media Take Out audience going wild. I go to MTO and find a post consisting of the latest picture(pic on the right). I'm confused because I don't understand why anyone would get their life off this pic! It's clearly a plea for attention(look at the first picture) and a plot by MTO to enhance their simple, minded audience. I don't knock MTO and their hustle but, I just don't understand the point of a hate site. I've visited their site a few times and the majority of their content is hatred towards artist and coonery such as the picture to the right. I know we live in a world that loves comic relief but, what's the point of comedy if we're bringing down our artist and culture? I pose a question for the fans of MTO: What's the big hype surrounding this website? What is it that makes it a must-have for the blog readers around the world? Leave your comments, if any in the comments section below!

Signed,
The Fashion Connoisseur

Morning Rant: Leave BET Alone!!!!

As the title suggest I really want people to get off BET's ass!!! Yes, this channel used to feature shows that uplifted the black community and showed us in a positive light. But guess what: MTV, VH1, Disney, Nickelodeon used to do the same thing for white people. Now when I turn these channels on I see mindless reality shows that are so far removed from reality that they are almost laughable; and don't get me started on Disney and Nickelodeon, because the cartoons/scripted shows they have now are not what the used to be when I was growing up (but I do like True Jackson; Go KeKe!!).

I find it annoying when I hear people say how they are going to boycott BET for portraying Black people in a negative light, yet BET has been experiencing record breaking viewership. Clearly these people who hate BET so much are still watching these shows and just subjecting the rest of us to their rants about how bad BET is for the black community. Honestly, I think this is a bunch of crap if you don't like what you are seeing then change the channel and don't watch. If you have BET then you probably have some form of cable package, therefore you have the option of over 72+ channels to satisfy your boredom.

Also, leave Debra Lee (BET President) alone, she is a BUSINESS woman first and foremost. If any of you YGT readers know anything about business, then you know that whatever is making you the most money is the right way to go. Clearly Debra and Co. over at BET have discovered, just like all the other networks, that wild coonish antics generate the best ratings. Why is this the case? Because people like to escape into other people's lives and either judge them for being too excessive (Cribs, Real Housewives, etc) or laugh at them for being too damn ghetto (Frankie and Neffie, For the Love of Ray J, etc).

So at the end of the day complaining about the programing on BET will do nothing, because the powers that be are too busy counting their stacks to care about you not liking the Tiny and Toya show (which I still have yet to see because I choose not to watch). But if you are still feeling some type of way about BET programing, then here is a list of channels that you might like to watch:

TvOne--If you want quality black shows from the past and great specials, then this is the channel for you. I personally love the Unsung series, Martin, and Living Single.

BET Jazz--Looking for great music videos and specials, look no further

HGTV--Thanks to the F.C. for putting me on to this channel

TLC/Bravo/Lifetime/USA--Bored on a Sunday one of these channels is bound to have something good on

History/Discovery/Ovation--I'm a geek at heart and you would be surprised how interesting the Cold War and WW II really were.

Books--No this is not a channel, but if you still can't find anything to do how about stimulating your mind with a great book. Don't be like Kanye West, reading is the ultimate gateway and learning tool.

Now that you have the tools to stop hating on BET's hustle; I wanna know what is your favorite channel/program to watch? If you watch BET, what do you like to watch? Do you think BET's programing hurts the black community, or do you think it's just another thing for black people to complain about? Let me know via the comments section.

The Intellect

Morning Rant: In Honor of Tupac Shakur

In the Event of My Demise

In the event of my Demise
when my heart can beat no more
I Hope I Die For A Principle
or A Belief that I had Lived 4
I will die Before My Time
Because I feel the shadow's Depth
so much I wanted 2 accomplish
before I reached my Death
I have come 2 grips with the possibility
and wiped the last tear from My eyes
I Loved All who were Positive
In the event of my Demise

Tupac Shakur

Brilliant as this poem is, I often look at the slain rapper's life and question why he had to die in such a horrible and despicable way. Tupac Shakur's gift to the world extended far beyond his rap lyrics; but in an industry that barely recognizes true artistry Shakur's gift was often hidden away. The facade of Tupac Shakur the "gangsta" never seemed real to me, and as with most rapper's who act real tough and hard their intellect usually gives them away.

I realize that having a rap sheet as long as your arm or being shot 9x is considered credible to be a rapper, but why? Why do we allow these fake people to invade our ears and mind? Why do you have to put on an act to just be heard, when in the end all you wanna do is talk about your experiences and take on life? I am sick of today's rapper's. I am sick of all the flash and throw away lyrics? I am sick of the false images? But what I am sick of most is people saying hip-hop/rap is dead.

Hip-hop will never die and if you look hard, which I have, you will find the steady heart beat of hip-hop. Sometimes this beat is found in a local group, an underground artist with a small but dedicated following, or in another country. No matter what the media tries to project, never forget that hip-hop is forever and it will never fade away or die.

The Intellect

Morning Rant: D.C Stand Up???

Ok so this is not really a rant like the others have been, but I am starting to feel some type of way about all these shows heading to the Nation's Capital. First, there was the Real Housewives series on Bravo, now MTV has announced that their longest running show (and it shows, but that's another post) the Real World has tapped D.C. to be the next place for seven strangers to meet.

Now let me be the first to address this: No, I did not live in Washington, D.C., I am from Maryland. But as my people from the DMV know, all the fun happens in D.C. With that out the way let me get back to this rant. These shows making there way to D.C. will of course draw more attention to the city, which has already garnered enough attention due to the newest residents to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, but at what cost?
Gentrification has struck the city of D.C. hard, and with rising death tolls and violence (The Holocaust Museum, seriously???) I know that these shows will only show one side of Washington.

The Real Housewives of D.C. will focus on the Embassy, socialite, and Congressional wives and highlight all the $2,500 dinners and galas that are "supposed" to help those people around the corner (cause if you have ever been to D.C. you will know one block separates the haves from the have nots, again another post) but somehow the money never seems to show up. This I am cool with, because it's apart of the D.C. culture of Uptown, Capital Hill, and the Gold Coast (where the embassy houses are located for those that don't know). But this next show has me a little concerned.

I used to be a huge fan of MTV's the Real World, I wanted nothing more then to go on the show and meet people from all over who are driven, funny, neurotic at times (Puck), but most of all REAL!! But after the Las Vegas season, which I will admit I loved because I had very impure thoughts about Alton, the show seemed to lose it's realness. Gone were the young 20somethings coming into the "real world" and all the pressures, set backs, and good times that this transition entailed. Instead we are now treated to different type-casts: The Gay, The Ignorant White Guy/Girl, The Angry Black, The Black who acts White, The Loner, etc. This is not something I want to see in the Real World D.C.

This city is bursting with young professionals getting it done, hell I used to be one of them before I transferred to North Carolina. The 20somethings in D.C. play hard, but they work even harder. It's nothing to see corporate types mixed in with young Congressionals on any given night at Adam's Morgan, DuPont Circle, Friendship Heights, or any other trendy meeting place, bar, or lounge. When the newest members of the Real World enter their D.C. pad, I really hope that the producers of the show pick people who will show true growth and depth to highlight the growth and depth of a city that is undergoing so many changes; not just on the Hill but around the surrounding neighborhoods. I hope that the people chosen to live and tell their stories will not be ignorant drunks who only care about going out and hooking up. Instead I want a cast that will go back to the glory days of the Real World and will give us a great story where people stop being FAKE and start being REAL.

Ok rant over, let me know what you think via the comments section.

The Intellect

Morning Rant: How Far is Too Far!!!

Ok so this rant was going to be on a totally different topic, but when I checked my Twitter page and I saw that my girl MissJia (FYI follow her cause her updates are the business) had posted the newest scandalous pics of "singer" Cassie. I thought that I was going to see another shot of her new titty piercing, but when I clicked on the picture and was treated to Cassie spread eagle with her puss for the world to see I was shocked. I know the saying is all publicity is good publicity, but I wanna know how far does one have to go to get this publicity?

MisJia made a valid point on Twitter when she said that almost everyone has a risky photo or video of themselves somewhere, but I for one would not air it for the world to see. In my opinion, Cassie is a little girl that is lost. She has no real career in singing, and I think she should stick to modeling and acting (I liked her in Step Up). These publicity stunts are tired and weak. Yes, I realize I am feeding into her stunts by giving her air time through this post, but if in writing this post I can deter some young female from having to expose her goodies to get some tracks, then this post is worth it.

Like I said before when I wrote the post about Cassie's haircut, I think she needs to get a life and get an identity. Cassie is not believable and she is not relatable. If these pictures are some type of cry for help, then I think Cassie needs to head to Borders and pick up a copy of Sistah Soulja's No Disrespect and learn the ups and downs women will face to find themselves. This book changed my outlook on some many things, and I recommend it to all the YGT readers.

What do you think about Cassie's latest stunt? How far is too far to gain notoriety? Do you have risky pictures of yourself, and if so would you Tweet them for the world to see? Let me know your opinions and more via the comments section.

Peace,

The Intellect
P.S No I will not post the "pussy pics" because I feel that the are NSFA (Not Safe for Anybody).

Morning Rant

So if you have been following me on Twitter (which I highly recommend, theINTELLECT/twitter.com) then you will know that I have been going off about white people adopting children from Africa. Yes, I see that these people are rich and can give these children a life better life, but at what cost?

Will Angelina and Brad teach their adopted African daughter anything about her culture? Will they teach her that even though her name is Jolie-Pitt, there will still be people that will hate her due to the color of her skin? Hell, will they teach her the beauty and versatility of her hair and the beauty that is brown skin? I think not!!!

But the real source behind this rant, is singer Madonna's court appeal to adopt a 3 year-old girl from Malawi. The girl in question has been in an orphanage all her life, but her father (who never knew she existed) is trying to battle Madonna for the right to keep his daughter. Now, I might not know all the facts of this case, but if DNA proves that the child belongs to the African man, then I hope Madonna is denied. In my opinion a child belongs with family, even if that family never knew you existed for three years.

It makes me sick to see all these celebrities running over to Third World nations to adopt children of culturally diverse backgrounds. Like I said before, I like that these children are getting a better life, but if the child is denied the history of their ancestors or of their people then what is a better life? If these celebrities were really interested in helping these "brown" children, then why are they not adopting the African American children who are living without any love or support iin their own country?

As this is a rant I do not have any real answers to all the questions I have posed, but I do want to get your opinion YGT readers. Do you agree with interracial/international adoption? Do you think this is good press for white celebrities? Do you think the adoption of African children by rich White's is a throwback to the selling of unwanted African during the slave trade? Let me know via the comments section.

The Intellect