Nigger of the Week: Bow Wow v. Soulja Boy

Yes, Soulja Boy has managed to find himself as our Nigger of the Week, again. But this time he is NOT alone.

As it goes, Soulja Boy & Bow Wow have "beef" over Lamborghini's - whose is faster or whose is rented ... they might as well be arguing over who has the bigger penis!

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The story is Soulja Boy on one of his "Rich Nigga Shit" videos (more nonsense YouTube has exposed us to & I refuse to attach the hyperlink to such foolery) he bragged about purchasing a brand new car, and paying for it cash. He went on to challenge Bow Wow to a race. Bow Wow replied, with a humorous collection of insults to Soulja's "career". This triggered yet another response, where Soulja questioned Bow Wow's ownership of his Lambo, asking to see his "papers".

Is this what "hip-hop" has become? Is this was a "beef" really consists of? O how I yearn for the days of the East Coast-West Coast rivalry. SMDH. Granted Bow Wow has been around for quite some time, so you think he'd have better sense, but then we have to remind ourselves, he's still a baby.

This could all be some elaborate publicity stunt, because it wasn't too long ago that they were bouncing around screaming "Marco polo" with one another. Regardless of the reason, this niggerish behavior has landed them in our Nigger of the Week spot.

Uppity Celebrity: Michelle Williams

You can google her!

Notorious Hype

The reviews are in, from some very notable and well-respected publications, and yet people stil insist on trying to convince me that this movie is the best thing since The Wizard of Oz.

NYTimes-

What they have produced is a messy, lively melodrama, reasonably faithful to the facts of Biggie’s life and wholeheartedly devoted to burnishing his myth.

Newsday-

What really saves "Notorious" are the performances of rapper Jamal Woolard, who captures some of The Notorious B.I.G.'s playful charm, and newcomer Naturi Naughton, who dazzles early on as the fiery Lil' Kim.

Rolling Stone-

The movie is forced to rush things, but Biggie biographer Cheo Hodari Coker, who co-wrote the script, gets in the essentials, starting with young Chris on the streets dealing despite warnings from his single mom (a vivid Angela Bassett).

...but director George Tillman Jr., who sweetened Soul Food, goes soft when he should go for the jugular.

Washington Post-

Those trailers on YouTube may look promising, but don't believe the hype. "Notorious," a new biopic about the life and death of the Notorious B.I.G., feels like Biggie's Wikipedia page reformatted for the big screen. No era of the iconic Brooklyn rapper's tumultuous 24 years goes untouched, making for a frustrating dash from the playground to the grave, all in under two hours.

The experts have spoken, and it's pretty clear that this movie doesn't live up to all its hype. Not only did people hype the film, they took it upon themselves to immortalize Biggie. People have gone so far as to compare him to people like MLK and Shakespeare. REALLY???!!!!! A civil rights leader and a LITERARY genius?? He's a drug-dealer turned baby daddy turned rapper turned murder victim. Where is the glory in what he did? What disease did he cure? What great sacrifice did he make for mankind?

It is still my belief that this movie had NO BUSINESS GOING INTO PRODUCTION, and I will not stray away from that conviction. However, the disaster is done and yet people refuse to let it be, and call it was it is - a BIG mistake.

If this was such a GRAND masterpiece, where are the nominations, hmm - the Oscars, the SAGs? Why is it #7 on the box office charts, grossing slightly over $34M? Oh did we reeeeaaally think white America was going to align themselves behind this? And let's NOT play the race card - Ali with Will Smith grossed $87,713,825 worldwide, while earning 2 Oscar nominations; and Ray with Jamie Foxx grossed $124,731,534 worldwide, and was nominated for 6, winning 2 Oscars. Even that disaster of a movie, Tropic Thunder, got a damn nomination (Robert Downing Jr. for Best Supporting Actor). The truth of it is, the money-makers and movie connoisseurs saw what I saw - that this movie was a sham and a marketing ploy. While the slain Tupac Shakur has managed to release FIVE albums since his death, not to mention a number of collaborations, documentaries, et al; Christopher Wallace has done...

...don't worry, I'll wait.

The man was a good rapper. I will admit. And being from Brooklyn myself I was indeed a supporter. BUT I will not support the lies that people insist on spewing, as though he is the greatest this since color TV and cable television. He didn't "save" or "change" hip-hop. He was a part of it, and died from it. The man is no pioneer, he no saviour of any sort, and he is certainly NO MLK!!

When will this stop?

Stupid Rich Negro Role Models

OK so I was reading through my daily blogs and forums (I get so bored at work in the morning) and stumbled upon a very interesting video that I really wish I had not seen. Take a look see.

I will be the first to say that having a black President gives me that sense that in this great country of ours, anything is possible. Why is it that the people who represent us on a national stage use that opportunity to make us look foolish and ignorant?

Now from the first time I heard the song "My President is Black. My Lambo is Blue"- the two relate to each other how exactly? Was your Lambo red when Bush was in power? (Bloods & Crips analogy for those who are not hip). Then a guy I actually respected, Mr. Carter as I like to call him, remixes the song - OH NO.

This man worked so hard to remove himself from the "drug dealing rapper, turned fashion guru, turned record exec mogul" category. The man owns a part of a basketball team which would then mean he is an official business man; and you go on the national stage and represent not only your company and your name that way; but as a general brand and for argument sake, black people? What do we think that for July 4th, we're having a cook out on the White House lawn? Get Real!

Why does black have to be associated with ignorance? You know the "other people" are like "OMG what have we done?!" Let's get it together - the president is black, great; the country has hit a milestone, a moment in history, but his job remains the same. And if he fails the consequences are 10 fold.

Did I forget to mention this was at one of the "after parties"? More later!

The Real Meaning of "Diva"

di·va /ˈdivə, -vɑ/ [dee-vuh, -vah] –noun, plural -vas, -ve /-vɛ/ [-ve] . a distinguished female singer; prima donna. [Origin: 1880–85; < It < L dīva, fem. of dīvus god; cf. divine]

The basic sense of the term is "Goddess" or "fine lady" and it derives from the Latin 'divus' meaning 'divine'.

Despite is musical reference, the term "diva" has been known to represent a woman of rare, outstanding talent - not limited to the performing arts. Despite its sometimes negative connotation within the entertainment industry, the term "diva" is one that over the years has become synonymous with strong, independent, successful women. But leave it to Beyoncé to taint the entire meaning of the word.


Interview after interview, Beyoncé has made a point in stating that she hates it when people call her a diva - because that's not what she is. Remember the negative connotation I mentioned earlier? - a female singer who is arrogant, egocentric, rude, condescending, etc. - yeah, that's what Beyoncé isn't.

However, whether it was to satisfy her own agenda or simply because she ran out of lyrics, Ms. Knowles released a single on her latest trash album entitled "Diva".

I’m a a diva (hey)
I’m a I’m a a diva (hey)
I’m a I’m a a diva (hey)
I’m a I’m a a diva
I’m a I’m a a diva (hey)
I’m a I’m a a diva
I’m a I’m a a diva (hey)
I’m a I’m a…

Na na na diva is a female version of a hustla
Of a husla
Of a of a hustla
Na na na diva is a female version of a hustla
Of a husla
Of a of a hustla

Stop the track, let me state facts
I told you give me a minute, and I’ll be right back
Fifty million round the world and they said that I couldn’t get it
I done got so sick and filthy with benj’s I cant spend
How you gone be talkin shit?
You act like I just got up in it
Been the number one diva in this game for a minute
I know you read the paper, the one that they call a queen
Every radio round the world know me
Cause that’s where I be

Let's clear up a few inconsistencies:

• How do you insist to the media for years that you're not a diva then release a song, not only entitled "Diva" but that glorifies you being a diva? One of the lines in the 1st verse (Been the number one diva in this game for a minute contradicts the whole claim to never being a diva. Dumb (_!_)


• "diva is a female version of a hustla" - Really?? We will revisit this in depth later; but I will say this - a diva is NOT, nor has it ever been, a female version of a "hustla". Now the concoction of this nut (_!_) definition was probably just to pacify Beyoncé's inner diva - if I change the meaning, then it's ok if I'm a diva - but do not spew this filth on the radio as though it's the new anthem of the feminist movement. But I digress … til further notice.


• Beyoncé's rise to fame was only because of her SINGING ability - she's not an actor, and she certainly is NOT a rapper. Maybe this song was intended to be a parody to Lil Wayne's "A Milli" (have you seen the "Diva" video? It's nothing short of a joke, but let's move on) in which case she should've consulted her RAPPER husband and had him write her rhymes for this track. It's not as though she's opposed to stealing, borrowing, using other people's work.


• Not only has Beyoncé always maintained that she's not a diva, when interviewing, she would describe herself as "humble" and "modest". The modesty in these lyrics have escaped me so can someone point me to it. Don't worry, I'll wait.
  
  O I know - this isn't Beyoncé; it's her other personality alter-ego "Sasha Fierce". As we move on…

Artists are constantly altering the meanings and spellings of words to sell records. Ex: it's ludicrous and fabulous not Ludacris and Fabolous. So the fact that Beyoncé would give the word (that she hates) a whole new meaning isn't all that surprising. Just annoying.

hus·tler /ˈhʌslər/ [huhs-ler] –noun
1. an enterprising person determined to succeed; go-getter.
2. Slang. a person who employs fraudulent or unscrupulous methods to obtain money; swindler.
3. Informal. an expert gambler or game player who seeks out challengers, esp. unsuspecting amateur ones, in order to win money from them: He earned his living as a pool hustler.
4. Slang. a prostitute.
5. a person who hustles.

Maybe I'm a slow, but as far as I can tell, "hustler" is not a gender specific term; it is not specific to solely males. So for Beyoncé to make the bold statement that ANYTHING is the female version of it is LUDICROUS. That's like saying "a nurse is the female version of a doctor" - let's not.

Moreover, the 2 words do not mean the same thing - not in slang or the Queen's English - so why is one being compared to the other? One is not synonymous to the other, and for good reason. Diva typically refers to females, where as a hustler can be male or female. So if Beyoncé wanted to, she could claim that she's both a diva and a hustler.

"I'ma hustler I'ma I'ma hustler homie" -Sean "Jay-Z" Carter

So MAYBE Beyoncé was implying she's the female version of her beau?! What an insult to him that would be. §MH.

What's most infuriating about Beyoncé's definition of "diva" is the fact that she has every female - young & old, far & wide - believing it. Ladies have it in their myspace names, aim messages, facebook status, etc - all claiming that they're divas: the female version of hustlers. Why can't good sense spread this quickly? Why aren't we quoting Maya Angelou or Mary McLeod Bethune? Who aspires to be a "hustler"?! Yes the slang terminology has diluted us into believing a hustler is a good thing - fine - but still. This is someone who dropped out of high school (which explains a lot) so what makes her a reliable source of information for what constitutes as "diva" or "hustler" or anything? She didn't "hustle" to get her millions; she sang! Her daddy runs ran her career, and many of her millions were a collaborative effort with Destiny's Child. So what are her "hustles"? - House of Dereon? Her acting career? This is not a post about Beyoncé so I won't waste another second.

It's sad to see how susceptible ignorance can be. Beyoncé in 1 track can come along and completely alter the meaning of a word and suddenly it's Gospel. SMDH.

Reality Love Shows: Why?

This is just the most bizarre of all television programming......Reality Love Shows. What's worse is, they're now taking the REJECTS of one love show and giving them THEIR OWN reality show. For example, who thought it was a good idea to give "New York", a reject from the Flavor of Love show, her own disaster of a program?? Just the simple fact that she had the name "New York" depressed me: 1) When people think of New York, nothing outside of the 4 or 5 boroughs (depending on what you think of Staten Island) comes to mind. She was from Syracuse or Albany or one of the other hick "Halloween"-like towns that have a population of 3 or less. Enough said. 2) Her lack of class, sophistication, talent, A BRAIN, etc. gives a terrible name to all of the women who are from the REAL New York (apologies to all the Upstate readers, but come on, you already know that where you live doesn't count). The "I Love New York" show was just an excuse for her to flash the world her cleavage and display her LACK of sex appeal.

NOW, to add insult to injury, VH1 decided to take two rejects from "New York"-The Reject's show, "Real" and "Chance", and give them THEIR own trainwreck. Now if you thought you lost brain cells after subjecting yourself to either or both seasons of her show, you'll feel like a vegetable after watching "Real Chance at Love". First things first, they've got more bizarre names for their contestants/groupies/airheads than any of their other nut a** predecessors, including "MILF", "Bay Bay Bay", and "Rabbit". Not to mention the wonderful bonding sessions, such as "Chance" taking his pack of cheerleaders to get tattoos to prove their devotion. I don't know about any of you other ladies, but I can't really see myself getting a permanent mark on my body for someone that I may not even end up with. Once you get kicked off the show, how will you explain that tattoo afterwards?? "Oh, that was for my CAT Chance (or whatever the urchin's real name is) that passed away......." Yeah, good luck with that.

However, it's not just the ignorant negroes getting their 15 minutes of fame on these shows. You've got faux celebrities like Tila Tequila and washed-up rock stars like Bret Michaels who have been given their opportunity to waste valuable television time as well. It seems like every person searching to get laid now has the chance to bore the rest of us with their unfortunate love story. What's saddest about this is there are so many people that watch these "programs" (dare I call them that) religiously each week. Honestly though, is this what our culture has become? Are we really THAT desperate for entertainment??

Notorious: Don't Believe the Hype II

As with any movie, a number of "exclusive" clips leak. After seeing a few, I've decided that "Notorious" resembles a school play gone bad. I stumbled upon this video on another blogger's site and it took the cake. I second her notion that as someone born and raised in Brooklyn, it's almost natural to want to support this film. But I just can't. After seeing this, I can also understand Lil Kim's anger towards the film.

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

Notorious: Don't Believe the Hype

This video is wrong from beginning to end and it's a mere illustration of ignorant folk falling for their own hype.

Notorious B.I.G. - The Cast of Notorious
Video Codes at www.blastro.com

con - tro - ver - sy
/ˈkɒntrəˌvɜrsi; Brit. also kənˈtrɒvərsi/ Show Spelled Pronunciation

[kon-truh-vur-see; Brit. also kuhn-trov-er-see] Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun, plural -sies.

1.	a prolonged public dispute, debate, or contention; disputation concerning a matter of opinion.

2.	contention, strife, or argument.

The faux Biggie Smalls contends that people were "making controversy" by alleging that Tupac Shakur was from the West Coast. The fact that Tupac was born on the East Coast shouldn't be isn't news to anyone. However, Tupac chose to represent the West Coast, because that was where he felt at home - musically. Jamal "I just came on the scene and landed this break-out role that will hopefully launch my career because I happen to be fat & dark skinned" Woolard - do not presume to know the history of Bigge & Tupac any more than someone else. The fact is NO ONE - not Faith (especially not Faith), not Ms. Wallace, not P. Diddy, not Kim - will know the depth and reality of their relationship but them. And unfortunately for us, they took that lil bitty to the grave. That is actually the PRIMARY flaw of this movie - it's conception. SMH.


"...mind frame don't know structure" - what does this even mean, especially related to who the best MC is? Throwing together a string of "big" words does not suddenly qualify you as smart in ANY way, because if the sentence makes no sense, then you're still an idiot. And to contend that it's your "job" to teach kids today where rappers such as 50 Cent & Jadakiss "got their style" is a bit conceited to say the least. This is the same man who just called Biggie & Tupac "where it came from ... the nucleus."



nu - cle - us

/ˈnukliəs, ˈnyu-/ Show Spelled Pronunciation

[noo-klee-uhs, nyoo-] Show IPA Pronunciation

–noun, plural -cle⋅i  /-kliˌaɪ/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [-klee-ahy] Show IPA Pronunciation , -cle⋅us⋅es.

1.	a central part about which other parts are grouped or gathered; core: A few faithful friends formed the nucleus of the club.

I am not, nor will I ever pretend be, a connoisseur on all that is hip-hop; however I am fairly certain that neither Biggie nor Tupac are the forefathers of hip-hip or rap, let alone the "nucleus". But I digress; let's move on.

Anthony Mackie. There's a reason he got ripped in the 8 Mile battle with Eminem - because he's NOT a rapper. But suddenly a slight resemblance in the dark when we're all intoxicated warrants him to capable of portraying Tupac Shakur. OK.

This man JUST turned 30 back in September and is already classifying himself as an "elder" ... but then, he goes on to imply that an elder is really someone who is 45, 50 years old.

His monologue re: elders who aren't "teaching" and "giving back", but instead are holding on to their own youth because "they aint neva had nothin" just seems like the ramblings of someone who is speaking from experience.



Subject-Tense agreement is a critical part of the English language; and seems to be something that has escaped ALL 3 of these actors.

"Like war. If you don't settle the beef on the playground you will take it out to war."

Really though? What does this even mean?!

The "Swinging" Sixties was a very tumultuous time in American history - John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, Medgar Evers, and Martin Luther King were all assassinated during this decade; the Civil Rights & Feminist Movements were well under way; and there was massive opposition to the Vietnam War.

What happened in the Nineties that parallel ANY of this? Are we REALLY REALLY going to compare the murder of two rappers to the assassination of a president and a civil rights leader? Can the East Coast-West Coast beef honestly hold a torch to the Vietnam War?

Now, don't get it into your minds that I dislike Biggie, Tupac, or any of these actors; BUT for someone to say, with a straight face, that "[Biggie] created the game ... created the structure of everything that we have as a culture today" is just ludicrous at best. These men were not revolutionaries; they were not civil rights leaders; they were RAPPERS. They had very creative and (dare I say) inspiring lyrics, however at the end of the day - they were entertainers. Granted they were a WAY better breed than the like of what we have today to listen to; however what about DJ Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, Grand Master Flash - the true originators of hip-hop. If you were to listen to this video, without actually seeing who/what it's in reference to, you would think that Biggie was some sort of innovator or God send for the African American community. I think not!

With that said, I must ask the question - why was his life turned into a movie? WHO said that this was a good investment? There are documentaries made for everyone from Tupac to Lil Wayne, so why wouldn't a documentary suffice for Biggie Smalls? We all know how the story ends, so there's no real plot. But he didn't change history; he's barely history himself - This March will mark the 12 year anniversary of his death. Where's the MLK movie? Not documentary - MOVIE. Paying $12.50 to watch the life and times of someone who wrote the "Ten Crack Commandments" doesn't seem like a sound investment during a recession.

But what do I know. I'm just an Uppity Negro.

Dreamgirls: The Lost Scene

Nigger of the Week UPDATE

Soulja Boy Tell’em got a scary New Years surprise when six armed men allegedly invaded the rapper’s Georgia home and robbed him and his friends at gunpoint on December 30.

A representative for the 18-year-old rapper confirmed to AllHipHop.com that he was involved in a “serious situation” on Tuesday night. No one was hurt, but the robbers claimed they used a single weapon and stole $5000 and jewelry from the “Crank That” chart-topper. Soulja Boy’s friend Jbar was also reportedly held hostage.

“Thanking God for my life,” Soulja Boy posted on his Twitter page following the incident. “Six n****z kicked in my door and tried to kill me.” The messages were later removed.

In a viral video that surfaced on the Internet (below) on Wednesday, two masked men took responsibility for the alleged robbery, admitting to following the platinum MC back to his home after his album release party.

Nigger of the Week

SMH! -.- VERY bad idea. People with any kind of common sense will despise the fact that he just got in the game and is mentioning a legend.

Soulja Boy's homeboys are quite some followers. They're just co-signing, not even looking at him, just being yes men. Soulja's being extremely disrespectful to the wrong dude. He's just mad and doesn’t wanna be a one hit wonder.

Soulja Boy is obviously too dense to understand that people have been saying hip hop is devolving for YEARS and Nas is merely pointing out the logic in that movement.

Hip-Hop came from the east coast; these little southern pop songs ARE NOT hip hop. Really, music like his and the Internet is why hip hop is dead. The art form isn’t being passed. HIP HOP evolved from those like Grand Master Flash, KRS, Rakim, Jay-Z. Nas just stated the obvious.

To even call any rappers who made money in the last 10 years “Hip Hop” is a travesty (there are few exceptions but I can count them on one hand). Yes, they rap. They are rappers. But they are not Hip Hop. They do rap music, not Hip Hop music. Hip hop has a message that either exposes corruption in society or in one's self. It uplifts and shines despite the world around it. It does not glorify the violence but it uses it at the backdrop to a larger sickness in ourselves, in society. Rappers like Soulja Boy, etc. glorify, degrade, pander and trade their souls for record sales. He has records dissing education and then laughs through the disclaimer. This boy is a clown and I should not even waste a minute on him but here I am. My only question is that if someone dug up a time capsule 100 years from now, do you really want the records out today to describe Hip Hop? Not I.

"Soulja", let's talk. That tap dancing bullcrap you produce is NOT hip hop, that’s Bojangles. Further, “Hip Hop Is Dead” is a reference to the “Rock Is Dead” movement, which you probably missed too, considering the incoherent jabbering and posturing you call music.

What is your alternative, hmm? Make a catchphrase that’s marketable?! Your catchphrase is “YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!” How could anyone with a brain like music with someone yelling then saying "wah me crank it wah me woll... wah me supa man de hos"? You sound like... a retard in a dumpster. If we think Lil’ Wayne is the best rapper alive and T.I. is the King of the South, what are we supposed to think about you? That you suffer from a bad case of Downs?

Now, I know a lot of people like your "music", and that's fine. Amazing to me, but everyone has their opinion. I just want to know how this is considered music: it's just noise. Such ignorance just SPEWING out of your mouth! Maybe if we learned how to pronounce words... It's not "Wah me", it's watch. Thanks.

Your political analysis is absolutely pathetic. Honestly, it’s YOU who is the “George Bush” of hip hop. Really. Sit and think about that for a second. When I found out your album had 900,000+ in sales, I had the exact thing go through my mind when Dubya was elected - America has epically failed.

And is that REALLY how you spend your time? Strutting your skinny behind around your crib half naked with two grown-ass men, hollering? Sounds like a cheap gay porn. Jesus. I honestly cannot wait for Nas to “Ether” you. His love was wasted on you. Let's not forget he was the only artist defending you when everyone else was attacking your dumb ass!

Evolution is a step forward not a step back. Know your history before you talk. “Rap is something you do, Hip Hop is something you live”: KRS One

SOULJA BOY, one, needs to spell his name right. Bird Walk... is that a classic? Ha. Where are this boy's parents?

On another note Lil Wayne did not start the saying, “I’m the best rapper alive.” ("Dirt Off Your Shoulder" anyone?)

Oh, and congrats on Soulja Boy's 1,000,000 albums sold in the first week. Wait...