Human rights organizations, as well as political and social ones, are condemning what they are calling a new form of inhumane exploitation in the United States, where they say a prison population of up to 2 million - mostly Black and Hispanic - are working for various industries for a pittance. For the tycoons who have invested in the prison industry, it has been like finding a pot of gold. They don't have to worry about strikes or paying unemployment insurance, vacations or comp time. All of their workers are full-time, and never arrive late or are absent because of family problems; moreover, if they don't like the pay of 25 cents an hour and refuse to work, they are locked up in isolation cells.
There are approximately 2 million inmates in state, federal and private prisons throughout the country. According to California Prison Focus, "no other society in human history has imprisoned so many of its own citizens." The figures show that the United States has locked up more people than any other country: a half million more than China, which has a population five times greater than the U.S. Statistics reveal that the United States holds 25% of the world's prison population, but only 5% of the world's people. From less than 300,000 inmates in 1972, the jail population grew to 2 million by the year 2000. In 1990 it was one million. Ten years ago there were only five private prisons in the country, with a population of 2,000 inmates; now, there are 100, with 62,000 inmates. It is expected that by the coming decade, the number will hit 360,000, according to reports.
What has happened over the last 10 years? Why are there so many prisoners?
"The private contracting of prisoners for work fosters incentives to lock people up. Prisons depend on this income. Corporate stockholders who make money off prisoners' work lobby for longer sentences, in order to expand their workforce. The system feeds itself," says a study by the Progressive Labor Party, which accuses the prison industry of being "an imitation of Nazi Germany with respect to forced slave labor and concentration camps."
The prison industry complex is one of the fastest-growing industries in the United States and its investors are on Wall Street. "This multimillion-dollar industry has its own trade exhibitions, conventions, websites, and mail-order/Internet catalogs. It also has direct advertising campaigns, architecture companies, construction companies, investment houses on Wall Street, plumbing supply companies, food supply companies, armed security, and padded cells in a large variety of colors."
According to the Left Business Observer, the federal prison industry produces 100% of all military helmets, ammunition belts, bullet-proof vests, ID tags, shirts, pants, tents, bags, and canteens. Along with war supplies, prison workers supply 98% of the entire market for equipment assembly services; 93% of paints and paintbrushes; 92% of stove assembly; 46% of body armor; 36% of home appliances; 30% of headphones/microphones/speakers; and 21% of office furniture. Airplane parts, medical supplies, and much more: prisoners are even raising seeing-eye dogs for blind people.
CRIME GOES DOWN, JAIL POPULATION GOES UP
According to reports by human rights organizations, these are the factors that increase the profit potential for those who invest in the prison industry complex:
. Jailing persons convicted of non-violent crimes, and long prison sentences for possession of microscopic quantities of illegal drugs. Federal law stipulates five years' imprisonment without possibility of parole for possession of 5 grams of crack or 3.5 ounces of heroin, and 10 years for possession of less than 2 ounces of rock-cocaine or crack. A sentence of 5 years for cocaine powder requires possession of 500 grams - 100 times more than the quantity of rock cocaine for the same sentence. Most of those who use cocaine powder are white, middle-class or rich people, while mostly Blacks and Latinos use rock cocaine. In Texas, a person may be sentenced for up to two years' imprisonment for possessing 4 ounces of marijuana. Here in New York, the 1973 Nelson Rockefeller anti-drug law provides for a mandatory prison sentence of 15 years to life for possession of 4 ounces of any illegal drug.
. The passage in 13 states of the "three strikes" laws (life in prison after being convicted of three felonies), made it necessary to build 20 new federal prisons. One of the most disturbing cases resulting from this measure was that of a prisoner who for stealing a car and two bicycles received three 25-year sentences.
. Longer sentences.
. The passage of laws that require minimum sentencing, without regard for circumstances.
. A large expansion of work by prisoners creating profits that motivate the incarceration of more people for longer periods of time.
. More punishment of prisoners, so as to lengthen their sentences.
HISTORY OF PRISON LABOR IN THE UNITED STATES
Prison labor has its roots in slavery. After the 1861-1865 Civil War, a system of "hiring out prisoners" was introduced in order to continue the slavery tradition. Freed slaves were charged with not carrying out their sharecropping commitments (cultivating someone else's land in exchange for part of the harvest) or petty thievery - which were almost never proven - and were then "hired out" for cotton picking, working in mines and building railroads. From 1870 until 1910 in the state of Georgia, 88% of hired-out convicts were Black. In Alabama, 93% of "hired-out" miners were Black. In Mississippi, a huge prison farm similar to the old slave plantations replaced the system of hiring out convicts. The notorious Parchman plantation existed until 1972.
During the post-Civil War period, Jim Crow racial segregation laws were imposed on every state, with legal segregation in schools, housing, marriages and many other aspects of daily life. "Today, a new set of markedly racist laws is imposing slave labor and sweatshops on the criminal justice system, now known as the prison industry complex," comments the Left Business Observer.
Who is investing? At least 37 states have legalized the contracting of prison labor by private corporations that mount their operations inside state prisons. The list of such companies contains the cream of U.S. corporate society: IBM, Boeing, Motorola, Microsoft, AT&T, Wireless, Texas Instrument, Dell, Compaq, Honeywell, Hewlett-Packard, Nortel, Lucent Technologies, 3Com, Intel, Northern Telecom, TWA, Nordstrom's, Revlon, Macy's, Pierre Cardin, Target Stores, and many more. All of these businesses are excited about the economic boom generation by prison labor. Just between 1980 and 1994, profits went up from $392 million to $1.31 billion. Inmates in state penitentiaries generally receive the minimum wage for their work, but not all; in Colorado, they get about $2 per hour, well under the minimum. And in privately-run prisons, they receive as little as 17 cents per hour for a maximum of six hours a day, the equivalent of $20 per month. The highest-paying private prison is CCA in Tennessee, where prisoners receive 50 cents per hour for what they call "highly skilled positions." At those rates, it is no surprise that inmates find the pay in federal prisons to be very generous. There, they can earn $1.25 an hour and work eight hours a day, and sometimes overtime. They can send home $200-$300 per month.
Thanks to prison labor, the United States is once again an attractive location for investment in work that was designed for Third World labor markets. A company that operated a maquiladora (assembly plant in Mexico near the border) closed down its operations there and relocated to San Quentin State Prison in California. In Texas, a factory fired its 150 workers and contracted the services of prisoner-workers from the private Lockhart Texas prison, where circuit boards are assembled for companies like IBM and Compaq.
[Former] Oregon State Representative Kevin Mannix recently urged Nike to cut its production in Indonesia and bring it to his state, telling the shoe manufacturer that "there won't be any transportation costs; we're offering you competitive prison labor (here)."
PRIVATE PRISONS
The prison privatization boom began in the 1980s, under the governments of Ronald Reagan and Bush Sr., but reached its height in 1990 under William Clinton, when Wall Street stocks were selling like hotcakes. Clinton's program for cutting the federal workforce resulted in the Justice Departments contracting of private prison corporations for the incarceration of undocumented workers and high-security inmates.
Private prisons are the biggest business in the prison industry complex. About 18 corporations guard 10,000 prisoners in 27 states. The two largest are Correctional Corporation of America (CCA) and Wackenhut, which together control 75%. Private prisons receive a guaranteed amount of money for each prisoner, independent of what it costs to maintain each one. According to Russell Boraas, a private prison administrator in Virginia, "the secret to low operating costs is having a minimal number of guards for the maximum number of prisoners." The CCA has an ultra-modern prison in Lawrenceville, Virginia, where five guards on dayshift and two at night watch over 750 prisoners. In these prisons, inmates may get their sentences reduced for "good behavior," but for any infraction, they get 30 days added - which means more profits for CCA. According to a study of New Mexico prisons, it was found that CCA inmates lost "good behavior time" at a rate eight times higher than those in state prisons.
IMPORTING AND EXPORTING INMATES
Profits are so good that now there is a new business: importing inmates with long sentences, meaning the worst criminals. When a federal judge ruled that overcrowding in Texas prisons was cruel and unusual punishment, the CCA signed contracts with sheriffs in poor counties to build and run new jails and share the profits. According to a December 1998 Atlantic Monthly magazine article, this program was backed by investors from Merrill-Lynch, Shearson-Lehman, American Express and Allstate, and the operation was scattered all over rural Texas. That state's governor, Ann Richards, followed the example of Mario Cuomo in New York and built so many state prisons that the market became flooded, cutting into private prison profits.
After a law signed by Clinton in 1996 - ending court supervision and decisions - caused overcrowding and violent, unsafe conditions in federal prisons, private prison corporations in Texas began to contact other states whose prisons were overcrowded, offering "rent-a-cell" services in the CCA prisons located in small towns in Texas. The commission for a rent-a-cell salesman is $2.50 to $5.50 per day per bed. The county gets $1.50 for each prisoner.
STATISTICS
Ninety-seven percent of 125,000 federal inmates have been convicted of non-violent crimes. It is believed that more than half of the 623,000 inmates in municipal or county jails are innocent of the crimes they are accused of. Of these, the majority are awaiting trial. Two-thirds of the one million state prisoners have committed non-violent offenses. Sixteen percent of the country's 2 million prisoners suffer from mental illness.
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September 30, 2009
A MOTHER'S GRIEF....
WHAT DO YOU CALL A MOTHER WHO LOSES HER CHILD?
LOST PARENTS-ORPHAN
LOST HUSBAND OR WIFE-WIDOW/WIDOWER
SOME WEDNESDAY WTF....
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September 29, 2009
THIS MAKES NO SENSE....
CHICAGO, Illinois (CNN) -- One of the suspects accused of killing an honor student in a beating captured on tape in Chicago has admitted to jumping on the victim's head after he was already lying on the ground, said a spokeswoman for the Cook County State's Attorney.
Derrion Albert, 16, was beaten to death last week. His death was captured on video.
Derrion Albert, 16, was beaten to death last week. His death was captured on video.
In the videotaped confession, 19-year-old Silvanus Shannon also said that the victim, Derrion Albert, 16, never struck him, said the spokeswoman, Tandra Simonton.
Three teens arrested in Albert's death -- Silvanus Shannon, 19; Eric Carson, 16; and Eugene Riley, 18 -- were seen on the videotape attacking Albert, and were charged with first degree murder and held without bail, Simonton said. Monday night authorities said they charged a fourth suspect, 17-year-old Eugene Bailey, with murder.
On Monday during the bond hearing, prosecutors described how the street fight escalated from a dispute between two factions at Albert's high school to a beating that left the honor student dead.
Prosecutors said Derrion Albert was an "innocent bystander" who ended up in the middle of a street fight between two factions of students at his school, Christian Fenger Academy High school, located on Chicago's South Side.
When school let out at 2:50 p.m. on Thursday, Albert was on his way to the bus stop when two groups of students converged on the street, Simonton said.
The two factions, one that lived near the Altgeld Gardens housing development and one in an area known as "The Ville," began fighting after a shooting earlier that day that police called gang-related.
Albert was approached by Eric Carson and another unknown person, both members of the "The Ville" faction, Simonton said. Carson struck Albert in the head with a piece of a wooden railroad tie, and the second person punched him in the face, Simonton said.
Albert was knocked unconscious by the blows for a short period, Simonton said, but gained consciousness and quickly tried to move from the escalating street fight.
"He gained consciousness and moved a few feet away, but as he was trying to get up, he was attacked by a second group," Simonton said.
That group, made up of five members from the opposing faction, then took their shots at Albert, Simonton said.
He was struck in the head by Riley with the piece of railroad tie, a rectangular piece of wood used as a base for railroad tracks, Simonton said.
Once Albert was on the ground again, Shannon was seen "stomping on his head repeatedly," Simonton said.
An amateur videotape shot by a witness, which has been broadcast nationally, showed the attack unfolding. A local TV station that received the tape turned it over to police. Video Watch graphic video of the attack »
The video shows that, as the attackers ran away, the person with the camera and several others approached Albert and carried him into a nearby building.
"Derrion, get up!" a female voice pleads on the video.
Albert was taken to Roseland Community Hospital and then to Advocate Christ Hospital and Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, Simonton said.
Shannon and Riley do not have criminal records. Carson is on probation for a 2008 robbery conviction, according to Simonton.
On Monday, family and friends, some wearing shirts bearing Albert's photo, held a vigil in his honor.
Albert's grandfather, Joseph Walker, told CNN affiliate WLS-TV that his grandson was a good kid who didn't deserve to die.
"He was in Bible class this Tuesday night. Church on Sunday," Walker told WLS-TV. "I have no trouble out of my grandson whatsoever. This thing that happened to him is so horrific that we just don't know what we're going to do. We lost a really dear friend in my grandson. He was a blessed child."
Walker said the family was struggling to come to terms with why Albert was killed.
"I don't know where all this anger come from these people today," he told WLS-TV. "That's just too much anger for someone to have in their heart. All I can do is I'm going to pray for these people, I'm going to to pray for forgiveness." Video Rick Sanchez asks, "Are our young people salvageable?" »
Albert's aunt, Rose Braxton, told CNN affiliate WGN-TV that the family was hurt again when a memorial in Albert's honor was burned down.
"To go and burn a memorial after such tragedy, then that just speaks for itself to what kind of people they are," she told WGN-TV.
Family and friends asked the community to turn in anyone they knew who was a part of Albert's beating.
"What kind of person, what kind of individual, has such rage and such anger and such madness?" the Rev. Michael Pfleger said. "We've got to get to the hearts of our children, because nothing, nothing, excuses or justifies the actions of an individual who would beat another individual. Nothing justifies that in this society. "
Pfleger said it was time to make a change, so children aren't afraid to go to or from school.
He said this kind of teen violence was not just an issue for Chicago, but from "Oakland to Newark."
Ron Huberman, CEO of Chicago Public Schools, said he had met with Albert's classmates.
"How do we make sure this event doesn't become another event?" he said. "Another vigil on another day."
Huberman said he will fight every day to ensure the safety of children in Chicago's schools.
"We can promise them and we can say that we we will absolutely remember Derrion," he said.
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Flanked by people holding signs with photos of a young child and the words "Don't shoot, I want to grow up," Pfleger pleaded for peace.
"It's time for guns, and it's time for two-by-fours to stop being the way we treat each other," he said.
25 Most Dangerous Neighborhoods in the U.S.
• 25) Chicago, Ill. (Winchester, Ave./60th St.)
• 24) Chicago, Ill. (Wallace St./58th St.)
• 23) Detroit, Mich. (Mount Elliott St./Palmer Ave.)
• 22) Orlando, Fla. (East-West Expy/Orange Blossom Trl.)
• 21) Cleveland, Ohio (Cedar Ave./55th St.)
• 20) Baltimore, Md. (Orleans St./Front St.)
• 19) Chicago, Ill. (66th St./Yale Ave.)
• 18) New York, N.Y. (St. Nicholas Ave./125th St.)
• 17) Tampa, Fla. (Amelia Ave./Tampa St.)
• 16) Philadelphia, Pa. (Broad St./Dauphin St.)
• 15) Little Rock, Ark. (Roosevelt Rd./Bond St.)
• 14) St. Louis, Mo. (14th St./Dr. Martin Luther King Dr.)
• 13) Springfield, Ill. (Cook St./11th St.)
• 12) Dallas, Texas (2nd Ave./Hatcher St.)
• 11) Memphis, Tenn. (Bellevue Blvd./Lamar Ave.)
• 10) Richmond, Va. (Church Hill)
• 9) Dallas, Texas (Route 352/Scyene Rd.)
• 8) Kansas City, Mo. (Forest Ave./41st St.)
• 7) Memphis, Tenn. (Warford St./Mount Olive Rd.)
• 6) Kansas City, Mo. (Bales Ave./30th St.)
• 5) Baltimore, Md.(North Ave./Belair Rd.)
• 4) Jacksonville, Fla. (Beaver St./Broad St.)
• 3) Miami, Fla. (7th Ave./North River Dr.)
• 2) Chicago, Ill. (State St./Garfield Blvd.)
• 1) Cincinnati, Ohio (Central Pky./Liberty St.)
• 24) Chicago, Ill. (Wallace St./58th St.)
• 23) Detroit, Mich. (Mount Elliott St./Palmer Ave.)
• 22) Orlando, Fla. (East-West Expy/Orange Blossom Trl.)
• 21) Cleveland, Ohio (Cedar Ave./55th St.)
• 20) Baltimore, Md. (Orleans St./Front St.)
• 19) Chicago, Ill. (66th St./Yale Ave.)
• 18) New York, N.Y. (St. Nicholas Ave./125th St.)
• 17) Tampa, Fla. (Amelia Ave./Tampa St.)
• 16) Philadelphia, Pa. (Broad St./Dauphin St.)
• 15) Little Rock, Ark. (Roosevelt Rd./Bond St.)
• 14) St. Louis, Mo. (14th St./Dr. Martin Luther King Dr.)
• 13) Springfield, Ill. (Cook St./11th St.)
• 12) Dallas, Texas (2nd Ave./Hatcher St.)
• 11) Memphis, Tenn. (Bellevue Blvd./Lamar Ave.)
• 10) Richmond, Va. (Church Hill)
• 9) Dallas, Texas (Route 352/Scyene Rd.)
• 8) Kansas City, Mo. (Forest Ave./41st St.)
• 7) Memphis, Tenn. (Warford St./Mount Olive Rd.)
• 6) Kansas City, Mo. (Bales Ave./30th St.)
• 5) Baltimore, Md.(North Ave./Belair Rd.)
• 4) Jacksonville, Fla. (Beaver St./Broad St.)
• 3) Miami, Fla. (7th Ave./North River Dr.)
• 2) Chicago, Ill. (State St./Garfield Blvd.)
• 1) Cincinnati, Ohio (Central Pky./Liberty St.)
LONG LOST BROTHERS.....GONZO AND R. LESLIE
SORRY RL...TALENT + BRAINS=A STILL VERY UNATTRACTIVE DUDE....
START MAKING A DIFFERENCE TODAY....REAL MEN STAND UP
Male Mentors Wanted! Though Big Brothers Big Sisters is always looking for volunteers from all walks of life, right now there is a greater need for men.
If you can play video games, you can be a Big Brother!You know how to play board games, talk about sports and go to recess — so what are you waiting for? Volunteer now! It really is that simple. Sign up today.
Being a Big Brother is one of the most rewarding things you will ever do. As a Big Brother, you get to be a kid again for an hour a week while you give a kid the invaluable gift of your friendship. Of the hundreds of boys waiting for a Big Brother right now, there’s one wanting to play video games, shoot hoops, or just hang out with someone just like you!
Why do we need Big Brothers?
More than 70% of our children are waiting for a Big are boys, but only three out of every 10 inquiries to volunteer come from men. Research shows that having the positive influence of a Big Brother makes a real difference in the life of a boy. So join the millions of volunteers that give a young person someone to look up to and learn why so many are now saying, “I get back so much more than I give.”
African-American Men
We are faced with a crisis – and you can help. Too many African-American boys throughout the county are at risk of dropping out of school, getting involved in drugs--losing their way. They are more likely to complete high school in prison than go to college. Having a Big Brother who can guide them and help them make positive choices will change their lives and make our communities stronger.
Hispanic Men
More than one-third of all Hispanics in the United States are under the age of 18; more than one-quarter of them are living in poverty. These children could benefit from having a male role model in their lives. A Big Brother who knows and understands the unique challenges they face will have a lasting positive impact on the lives of these boys.
For more about what other Big Brothers and Big Sisters say about their experience as a Big, read Real Life Stories of Bigs & Littles.
How to apply: The easiest and fastest way to get started is to complete our convenient online application. After you complete a short form online, a Big Brothers Big Sisters staff member will contact you. You'll need to:
*
Provide References,
*
Participate in an in-person interview,
*
Go through a criminal history record check.
You can also call 888.412.BIGS to be routed to your local agency.
If you can play video games, you can be a Big Brother!You know how to play board games, talk about sports and go to recess — so what are you waiting for? Volunteer now! It really is that simple. Sign up today.
Being a Big Brother is one of the most rewarding things you will ever do. As a Big Brother, you get to be a kid again for an hour a week while you give a kid the invaluable gift of your friendship. Of the hundreds of boys waiting for a Big Brother right now, there’s one wanting to play video games, shoot hoops, or just hang out with someone just like you!
Why do we need Big Brothers?
More than 70% of our children are waiting for a Big are boys, but only three out of every 10 inquiries to volunteer come from men. Research shows that having the positive influence of a Big Brother makes a real difference in the life of a boy. So join the millions of volunteers that give a young person someone to look up to and learn why so many are now saying, “I get back so much more than I give.”
African-American Men
We are faced with a crisis – and you can help. Too many African-American boys throughout the county are at risk of dropping out of school, getting involved in drugs--losing their way. They are more likely to complete high school in prison than go to college. Having a Big Brother who can guide them and help them make positive choices will change their lives and make our communities stronger.
Hispanic Men
More than one-third of all Hispanics in the United States are under the age of 18; more than one-quarter of them are living in poverty. These children could benefit from having a male role model in their lives. A Big Brother who knows and understands the unique challenges they face will have a lasting positive impact on the lives of these boys.
For more about what other Big Brothers and Big Sisters say about their experience as a Big, read Real Life Stories of Bigs & Littles.
How to apply: The easiest and fastest way to get started is to complete our convenient online application. After you complete a short form online, a Big Brothers Big Sisters staff member will contact you. You'll need to:
*
Provide References,
*
Participate in an in-person interview,
*
Go through a criminal history record check.
You can also call 888.412.BIGS to be routed to your local agency.
September 28, 2009
16 BEAT TO DEATH IN CHICAGO...WHAT IS THE WORLD COMING TO?
According to the Chicago Tribune, 3 teens have been charged in the brutal beating death of 16-year-old honor roll student Derrion Albert as he walked home from school through the Roseland neighborhood of far South Side Chicago last Thursday (9/24).
The three teens charged with first-degree murder are Silvanus Shannon, 19, Eugene Riley, 18, and Eric Carson, 16, according to the Cook County state’s attorney’s office. All 3 will be tried as adults.
The three were caught on video wielding 2-by-4 wooden boards which they used to strike Albert repeatedly about the head causing massive head injuries during a melee involving students from Fenger Academy High School. Albert was pronounced dead three hours later at a local hospital.
Four others are being questioned in the assault. Joe Walker, Albert’s grandfather who helped raise him from a baby, said police expect to arrest 6 or 7 people in the case.
September 25, 2009
ACCOUNTABILITY FOR YOUR ACTIONS...
There are many things that are happening in our lives that we don't like, don't understand, and wish never happened. In deed there are some circumstances that are out of our control. But when do we stop and begin to be accountable for the things which we do have control over?
You've heard the old saying—The world is going to hell in a hen-basket. Well for many this could feel more closer to reality, than just a saying. Many a persons world has been turned upside-down, inside-out. The difference between those that make it out the tunnel to tell their story, and of those who don't, is accountability. The world we live in is not going to get any easier, but we cannot allow other people's mistakes, decisions, or lack of decision, take away our responsibility for keeping our own yard clean—so to speak.
Growing up, I was always taught that I needed to take responsibility for any choice I made: knowing that every choice had a consequence—whether good or bad. However, a major step in taking responsibility is being accountable. Many of us are not accountable to anyone, so therefore, we live our lives not worrying about the next person. Not truly understanding that every decision we make will have some sort of impact on someone, somewhere, at sometime.
When we make ourselves accountable to someone for our actions, we have a responsibility to do what we say we are going to do. Being accountable can help us see where we are lacking or slacking off. If we were treat ourselves as the CEO of a business entity that has a board of trustees, shareholders and consumers, we would be held accountable for any profit gain or loss; good or bad public relations; the hiring and firing of good or bad employees; the making of any sound business decisions that would effect our business.
It really is no different in our lives. If you are a mother, your home is your company. You have a board consisting of family members, and your consumers are your children. As a mother, you make a business decision every single day concerning the running of your company. As you run your company, you expect the same work from everyone that is involved. You are accountable to your family. If you were to decide to walk away from your job, or stop doing what you do as a mother, you know in no time, your company will crumble.
The same goes for a father. You are leading your family in such a way that they will be able to make sound decisions in your absence. You carefully lay the ground work, and prepare your family for the different tasks that may lay ahead. You have a responsibility to make sure that their needs are met. You may not always be able to provide for their every want. But you do what is best, and what you can to ensure that they are safe, sound and secure for whatever may come their way. You are accountable to them. You are accountable for making sure that their needs are met, and that should a crisis rise, you will not abandon ship.
Another part of being accountable, is sticking it out. There are many things happening that we do not like, we do not understand, and wish would just go away. Just because you run away from the problems, does not mean they don't exist. They are there; waiting to be solved. Waiting to be addressed. Waiting for someone to fix them. Being accountable takes on the hard task of sticking it out, even when every fiber in your body says to give up and run.
Yes. Other people have made a mess of things. Many have shucked their responsibility, and have made themselves accountable to no one; leaving in their wake, a multitude of problems and headaches. And a hole so deep, it looks as though there is no end in sight.
We cannot continue to pass the blame, and keep pointing the finger at someone else. If we want the circumstances of our lives to change, we have to be first in line to make that change occur. We can blame the government, our families, our employers; but at the end of the day, the choice is ours. What you decide to do with what life throws at you, is up to you. Just remember: whatever you decide, there is a consequence—good or bad—for the decisions you make.
You've heard the old saying—The world is going to hell in a hen-basket. Well for many this could feel more closer to reality, than just a saying. Many a persons world has been turned upside-down, inside-out. The difference between those that make it out the tunnel to tell their story, and of those who don't, is accountability. The world we live in is not going to get any easier, but we cannot allow other people's mistakes, decisions, or lack of decision, take away our responsibility for keeping our own yard clean—so to speak.
Growing up, I was always taught that I needed to take responsibility for any choice I made: knowing that every choice had a consequence—whether good or bad. However, a major step in taking responsibility is being accountable. Many of us are not accountable to anyone, so therefore, we live our lives not worrying about the next person. Not truly understanding that every decision we make will have some sort of impact on someone, somewhere, at sometime.
When we make ourselves accountable to someone for our actions, we have a responsibility to do what we say we are going to do. Being accountable can help us see where we are lacking or slacking off. If we were treat ourselves as the CEO of a business entity that has a board of trustees, shareholders and consumers, we would be held accountable for any profit gain or loss; good or bad public relations; the hiring and firing of good or bad employees; the making of any sound business decisions that would effect our business.
It really is no different in our lives. If you are a mother, your home is your company. You have a board consisting of family members, and your consumers are your children. As a mother, you make a business decision every single day concerning the running of your company. As you run your company, you expect the same work from everyone that is involved. You are accountable to your family. If you were to decide to walk away from your job, or stop doing what you do as a mother, you know in no time, your company will crumble.
The same goes for a father. You are leading your family in such a way that they will be able to make sound decisions in your absence. You carefully lay the ground work, and prepare your family for the different tasks that may lay ahead. You have a responsibility to make sure that their needs are met. You may not always be able to provide for their every want. But you do what is best, and what you can to ensure that they are safe, sound and secure for whatever may come their way. You are accountable to them. You are accountable for making sure that their needs are met, and that should a crisis rise, you will not abandon ship.
Another part of being accountable, is sticking it out. There are many things happening that we do not like, we do not understand, and wish would just go away. Just because you run away from the problems, does not mean they don't exist. They are there; waiting to be solved. Waiting to be addressed. Waiting for someone to fix them. Being accountable takes on the hard task of sticking it out, even when every fiber in your body says to give up and run.
Yes. Other people have made a mess of things. Many have shucked their responsibility, and have made themselves accountable to no one; leaving in their wake, a multitude of problems and headaches. And a hole so deep, it looks as though there is no end in sight.
We cannot continue to pass the blame, and keep pointing the finger at someone else. If we want the circumstances of our lives to change, we have to be first in line to make that change occur. We can blame the government, our families, our employers; but at the end of the day, the choice is ours. What you decide to do with what life throws at you, is up to you. Just remember: whatever you decide, there is a consequence—good or bad—for the decisions you make.
MAN THE FUCK UP YOUNG BROTHERS....
1 CORINTHIANS 13:11-
When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.
When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.
September 24, 2009
READ A FUCKING BOOK....
Born in Detroit, Michigan, to a middle class black family, Donald Goines was addicted to heroin at various points in his life. Goines accomplished an amazing feat by churning out 16 books in just five years. He began his writing career while serving time at Michigan's Jackson Penitentiary, where he was influenced by the work of Iceberg Slim. In his vivid depictions of ghetto and prison life, Goines employed both standard English and black English to great effect.
Some of Goines's novels have become films, such as Never Die Alone, which starred DMX,and "Crime Partners",which starred Ice-T, Snoop Dogg ,and Ja Rule.A minor independent movie made of his life was released in 2003. Goines's better known works include Black Gangster, the semi-autobiographical Whoreson, Dopefiend, Street Players, Eldorado Red, Daddy Cool (which was made into a graphic novel) and White Man's Justice, Black Man's Grief. Inner City Hoodlum, which Goines had finished before his death, was published posthumously in 1975. The story, set in Los Angeles, was about "smack", money and murder.
Death
Goines and his wife were shot to death in Detroit on the night of October 21, 1974. According to some sources, Goines was gunned down over a failed drug deal.
But it is popularly believed that he was murdered by neighborhood criminals who objected to characters and storylines that they thought were based on themselves and thus clues to their identities and crimes. The identity of the killer or killers remains unknown.
Novels
Whoreson (1971)
Dopefiend (1972)
Black Gangster (1972)
Black Girl Lost (1973)
Street Players (1973)
White Man's Justice, Black Man's Grief (1973)
Daddy Cool (1974)
Eldorado Red (1974)
Swamp Man (1974)
Never Die Alone (1974)
Crime Partners (1974)
Cry Revenge (1974)
Death List (1974)
Kenyatta's Escape (1974)
Kenyatta's Last Hit (1975)
Inner City Hoodlum (1975)
Some of Goines's novels have become films, such as Never Die Alone, which starred DMX,and "Crime Partners",which starred Ice-T, Snoop Dogg ,and Ja Rule.A minor independent movie made of his life was released in 2003. Goines's better known works include Black Gangster, the semi-autobiographical Whoreson, Dopefiend, Street Players, Eldorado Red, Daddy Cool (which was made into a graphic novel) and White Man's Justice, Black Man's Grief. Inner City Hoodlum, which Goines had finished before his death, was published posthumously in 1975. The story, set in Los Angeles, was about "smack", money and murder.
Death
Goines and his wife were shot to death in Detroit on the night of October 21, 1974. According to some sources, Goines was gunned down over a failed drug deal.
But it is popularly believed that he was murdered by neighborhood criminals who objected to characters and storylines that they thought were based on themselves and thus clues to their identities and crimes. The identity of the killer or killers remains unknown.
Novels
Whoreson (1971)
Dopefiend (1972)
Black Gangster (1972)
Black Girl Lost (1973)
Street Players (1973)
White Man's Justice, Black Man's Grief (1973)
Daddy Cool (1974)
Eldorado Red (1974)
Swamp Man (1974)
Never Die Alone (1974)
Crime Partners (1974)
Cry Revenge (1974)
Death List (1974)
Kenyatta's Escape (1974)
Kenyatta's Last Hit (1975)
Inner City Hoodlum (1975)
IN CASE YOU DIDN'T ALREADY KNOW...FACTS ABOUT THE "RHOA" (DULUTH)
*Lennithia "NeNe" Leakes -- A Duluth resident, she is married to real estate seller Gregg Leakes. Leakes met Gregg when she danced for him at the strip club and he told her to quit and marry him. She is the founder of the Twisted Hearts Foundation that addresses domestic violence against women. Leakes was evicted from her rental home in the Stonebrier at Sugarloaf gated community on Sugarloaf Parkway, which is approximately 40 minutes northeast of downtown Atlanta. As of the filming of season two she was renting a home in the St. Marlo Country Club community.
*Sheree Whitfield -- Originally from Shaker Heights, Ohio. At 15 she gave birth to daughter Tierra, who she publically refers to as "my friend". She is the ex-wife of NFL professional football player Bob Whitfield, with whom she has two children. She used to reside in a Sandy Springs mansion with her ex-husband until it was sold into foreclosure. The house is approximately 20 minutes north of downtown Atlanta. She is attempting to develop a clothing line called She by Sheree. She had a feud with cast mate NeNe Leakes earlier in the show, but the two women have since reconciled.
*Lisa Wu-Hartwell -- Originally from Inglewood, she is multiethnic as her mother is Afro-Carribbean and her father is Chinese. She has also gone by the names Sharon Millette Wu, Sharon Lisa Sweat, and Lisa Wu-Sweat when she filed chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2007, despite her mantra during the introduction of the show, "If it doesn't make me money, I don't do it". Hartwell was married to R&B singer Keith Sweat from 1992-2002. They have two sons Jordan(1995)and Justin(1998). Both sons live with Sweat as he has full custody. Wu-Hartwell is currently suing Sweat for custody of their children. On 31 December 2005 she and former NFL linebacker Edgerton Hartwell--who was recently released by the Oakland Raiders-- eloped[8]. Their son Ed Jr was born in 2007. During the filming of the first two seasons, she lived in the exclusive gated community of the St. Marlo Country Club in Duluth, Georgia. She is co-owner of Hartwell and Associates, an Atlanta-based real estate firm. In addition she runs three businesses: Wu-Girls Designs jewelry line; and two clothing lines: Hart2Hart Baby (baby clothes) and Closet Freak (sexy t-shirts designed for women). As of July 2009 all of her personal and business websites are down. The house she lived in while filming the first two seasons is now a bank owned property after failing to get a 1.9 million dollar bid during a foreclosure auction held on August 4, 2009. Her family has moved to a property her husband owns in Hoschton, Georgia which is approximately 40 miles north of Atlanta.
*Kimberleigh "Kim" Zolciak -- A Connecticut native and Johns Creek resident, the divorced mother of two is attempting to pursue a career as a country singer while half-heartedly trying to quit smoking. She has a CNA or nursing degree. She had a "sugar daddy" whom she mysteriously referred to as "Big Poppa". In October 2008, Jezebel reported that "numerous blind items and internet rumors" had identified Big Poppa as entrepreneur Lee Najjar. He funded her somewhat lavish lifestyle, buying her $14,000 in diamonds and a $60,000 Cadillac Escalade. Zolciak and "Big Poppa" broke up in the last episode of season one. Since the end of the first season, Zolciak has linked in media reports to billionaire Dr. Stefan Lemperle and Girls Gone Wild founder Joe Francis. At 17, Kim was involved in an affair with a 25-year veteran of the Windsor Locks Police Department that resulted in his firing.
*Kandi Burruss -- The Georgia native and former Xscape member is the newest Housewife, replacing Deshawn Snow. Burruss is a Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter who resides in Fayetteville, GA with her six-year-old daughter Riley. Her fiancé Ashley Jewell (AJ) (whose work is some "involvement in the music business") and his twin daughters now live with her. She is a former member of the platinum-selling musical group Xscape, and won a Grammy Award for her work on TLC's mega hit "No Scrubs." She has also written/co-written music for artists that include Mariah Carey, 'N Sync, Destiny's Child, Alicia Keys, American Idol Fantasia Barrino, female rapper Solé, Pink and Whitney Houston.
*Sheree Whitfield -- Originally from Shaker Heights, Ohio. At 15 she gave birth to daughter Tierra, who she publically refers to as "my friend". She is the ex-wife of NFL professional football player Bob Whitfield, with whom she has two children. She used to reside in a Sandy Springs mansion with her ex-husband until it was sold into foreclosure. The house is approximately 20 minutes north of downtown Atlanta. She is attempting to develop a clothing line called She by Sheree. She had a feud with cast mate NeNe Leakes earlier in the show, but the two women have since reconciled.
*Lisa Wu-Hartwell -- Originally from Inglewood, she is multiethnic as her mother is Afro-Carribbean and her father is Chinese. She has also gone by the names Sharon Millette Wu, Sharon Lisa Sweat, and Lisa Wu-Sweat when she filed chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2007, despite her mantra during the introduction of the show, "If it doesn't make me money, I don't do it". Hartwell was married to R&B singer Keith Sweat from 1992-2002. They have two sons Jordan(1995)and Justin(1998). Both sons live with Sweat as he has full custody. Wu-Hartwell is currently suing Sweat for custody of their children. On 31 December 2005 she and former NFL linebacker Edgerton Hartwell--who was recently released by the Oakland Raiders-- eloped[8]. Their son Ed Jr was born in 2007. During the filming of the first two seasons, she lived in the exclusive gated community of the St. Marlo Country Club in Duluth, Georgia. She is co-owner of Hartwell and Associates, an Atlanta-based real estate firm. In addition she runs three businesses: Wu-Girls Designs jewelry line; and two clothing lines: Hart2Hart Baby (baby clothes) and Closet Freak (sexy t-shirts designed for women). As of July 2009 all of her personal and business websites are down. The house she lived in while filming the first two seasons is now a bank owned property after failing to get a 1.9 million dollar bid during a foreclosure auction held on August 4, 2009. Her family has moved to a property her husband owns in Hoschton, Georgia which is approximately 40 miles north of Atlanta.
*Kimberleigh "Kim" Zolciak -- A Connecticut native and Johns Creek resident, the divorced mother of two is attempting to pursue a career as a country singer while half-heartedly trying to quit smoking. She has a CNA or nursing degree. She had a "sugar daddy" whom she mysteriously referred to as "Big Poppa". In October 2008, Jezebel reported that "numerous blind items and internet rumors" had identified Big Poppa as entrepreneur Lee Najjar. He funded her somewhat lavish lifestyle, buying her $14,000 in diamonds and a $60,000 Cadillac Escalade. Zolciak and "Big Poppa" broke up in the last episode of season one. Since the end of the first season, Zolciak has linked in media reports to billionaire Dr. Stefan Lemperle and Girls Gone Wild founder Joe Francis. At 17, Kim was involved in an affair with a 25-year veteran of the Windsor Locks Police Department that resulted in his firing.
*Kandi Burruss -- The Georgia native and former Xscape member is the newest Housewife, replacing Deshawn Snow. Burruss is a Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter who resides in Fayetteville, GA with her six-year-old daughter Riley. Her fiancé Ashley Jewell (AJ) (whose work is some "involvement in the music business") and his twin daughters now live with her. She is a former member of the platinum-selling musical group Xscape, and won a Grammy Award for her work on TLC's mega hit "No Scrubs." She has also written/co-written music for artists that include Mariah Carey, 'N Sync, Destiny's Child, Alicia Keys, American Idol Fantasia Barrino, female rapper Solé, Pink and Whitney Houston.
IT'S ALWAYS IN BACK AND WHITE....
Living Arrangements of Black Children
Since 1960, the proportion of black children living with a single parent more than doubled, from 22% to 53.3% in 2000. Since 1980, more black children have lived with a single parent than with two parents (42% versus 45% respectively) in 1980, and since 1983, the majority (at least 53.6%) have lived with a single parent.
The proportion of black children living with two parents declined most sharply in the 1970's, falling more than 25% from 58% in 1970 to 43% in 1979. The percentage living with a single parent increased from 31% to 44% during that same period. * In 1995, the percentage of black children living in two-parent homes reached a historic low of 33%, only half the percentage (67%) in 1960. From 1996 to 2000, this rose to about 37.6% the proportion of black children living with one parent stabilized at about 57% between the years 1996-1999 and then dropped slightly to 53.3% in 2000.
Since 1980, the majority of black children have lived in single-mother households, which currently constitutes 92% of all black single-parent households. Single-father households are the fastest growing type in the total population constituting 16% of all single-parent families but only 8% of those where the father was black.
In 2000, 7.7% of black children lived with relatives rather than a mother or father, and about 1.5% resided with non-relatives. These percentages rose in the late 1970's and in the early 1980's before declining from 1995 to 2000.
Living Arrangements of White Children
From 1960 to 2000, the proportion of white children living with both parents declined from 90.9% to 75% compared to a decrease from 67% to 37.6% among black children.
The percentage of white children living with a single parent grew from 7.1% in 1960 to 21.6% in 2000, a three-fold increase. The corresponding black figures doubled, from 21.9% to 53.3%. Thus while the growth in the white rate outpaced that in the black rate, the absolute percentage for blacks remained much higher than for whites.
Most white children in single-parent homes lived with their mothers (80%) in 2000. However, the percentage of white children in single-parent families who lived with their fathers increased from 14% in 1960 to 19.9% in 2000. This was more than double the percentage of black children of single parents living with their fathers (8%).
Proportionately fewer white children (2%) than black children (7.7%) live with relatives other than their mother or father. About 1% to 2% of both black and white children resided with non-relatives in 2000.
Since 1960, the proportion of black children living with a single parent more than doubled, from 22% to 53.3% in 2000. Since 1980, more black children have lived with a single parent than with two parents (42% versus 45% respectively) in 1980, and since 1983, the majority (at least 53.6%) have lived with a single parent.
The proportion of black children living with two parents declined most sharply in the 1970's, falling more than 25% from 58% in 1970 to 43% in 1979. The percentage living with a single parent increased from 31% to 44% during that same period. * In 1995, the percentage of black children living in two-parent homes reached a historic low of 33%, only half the percentage (67%) in 1960. From 1996 to 2000, this rose to about 37.6% the proportion of black children living with one parent stabilized at about 57% between the years 1996-1999 and then dropped slightly to 53.3% in 2000.
Since 1980, the majority of black children have lived in single-mother households, which currently constitutes 92% of all black single-parent households. Single-father households are the fastest growing type in the total population constituting 16% of all single-parent families but only 8% of those where the father was black.
In 2000, 7.7% of black children lived with relatives rather than a mother or father, and about 1.5% resided with non-relatives. These percentages rose in the late 1970's and in the early 1980's before declining from 1995 to 2000.
Living Arrangements of White Children
From 1960 to 2000, the proportion of white children living with both parents declined from 90.9% to 75% compared to a decrease from 67% to 37.6% among black children.
The percentage of white children living with a single parent grew from 7.1% in 1960 to 21.6% in 2000, a three-fold increase. The corresponding black figures doubled, from 21.9% to 53.3%. Thus while the growth in the white rate outpaced that in the black rate, the absolute percentage for blacks remained much higher than for whites.
Most white children in single-parent homes lived with their mothers (80%) in 2000. However, the percentage of white children in single-parent families who lived with their fathers increased from 14% in 1960 to 19.9% in 2000. This was more than double the percentage of black children of single parents living with their fathers (8%).
Proportionately fewer white children (2%) than black children (7.7%) live with relatives other than their mother or father. About 1% to 2% of both black and white children resided with non-relatives in 2000.
September 23, 2009
PICTURE PERFECT....
LOOK UP FINE BLACK MAN IN THE DICTIONARY AND LOOK WHO SHOWS UP....
YOU CAN'T HATE ON THIS...
September 22, 2009
ON THE DL....WHO IS IT?
Referred as Clay-
He could have been a model. His smooth,clear and cocoa-brown complexion was perfections. Everything seemed delicately put in place.
hede had a nose hob. It wasn't noticeable until i was close to him.
clay told me he had been in Los Angeles for three years and had already done some commercials and was regular on a popular daytime soap opera. Clay was on the soap for a short while but wanted to get a movie role
Referred as Henry-
Deep voice was rich with a southern texture. After his short-lived porn career, Henry worked as a stunt double for few black action starts, but he later went on to make a name for himself costarring in many major films with paramount and warner bros. He never married, but has been a lover of many Hollywood actresses. his Charming, Smooth personality.
Referred as Sheena-
I don't give a f*ck! a curvaceous woman yelled. She better bring her a$$ over her! Everyone turned around to see who was making such a fuss. It was award-winning female rapper/actress. Apparently , she was upset over something concerning her girlfriend. When she made an appearance on Keenan's show, i couldn't imagine the nicest and sweetest person. She had a striking presence, but it was really her walk that made her appear as if she was pimping.
Referred to as Junior and Fritz-
Both men are young and very attractive and have starred in some comedic and dramatic films. One of the actors "junior" is tall muscular,brown-skinned brother who got his start in television and is known for his comedic roles in films. never married but couple of children with a girlfriend.
The other dark-skinned actor, "Fritz" has been in a few movies and has starred in popular television drama
Referred as Lucas-
A megastar, no matter what film project he was attached to it was abound to be abox office smash. In Hollywood he was considered a golden boy and very bankable. Many rumors about him and even thought he married it was hard for him to shake those pesky gay rumors He was smooth,charismatic and charming.
Referred to as Eli-
A popular Multiplatinum rapper who had just started a label at the time. A Mainstap in the ever-changing Hip Hop industry. He has been hailed as one of the greatest rappers to bless the mic. Eli was a burgeoning superstar who parlayed his marketability into television and movie credits. He even had a promising clothing line.
Referred to as Lola-
Wasn an R&B singer/songwriter from new york moved to LA. Her skilles caught the likes of Devant swing of Jodeci,Stevie J and Dallas Austin. She made a noteworthy album and the critics were eating her up. Her style was hard-edged rap while a little rock and R&B.
Referred to as Flynn-
Featured in a few clothing designer's campaigns and graced the pages of many popular magazines such as GQ,details and vogue. Flynn starred in a Few Music Videos and then later went on to do few movies.
Referred to as Galvin-
Once part of a legendary R&b Group, and who had experience d a brief stint as a successful solo artist who's dating an A-list male actor. Frequently hung out with Janet Jackson and it appeared was that they were dating. Once said engaged but wedding never materialized.
Referred to as Lenny-
Lean,dar-skinned brother with the shiny,bald head. Perfectly trimmed goate gave him a youthfull appearanece
He was the music producer. He had a lot of plaques and awards. Accomplished musician,producer and song-writer. He was a part of one of the most influential musical disco group during the 1970s. Joined the band as a teenager, their music is often heard today in clubs,homes and movies. One of their song is known as the best-selling single on Warner records. Luther Vandross even blessed their albums with his vocal ability. One of the first rap groups in hip-hop sampled one of the band's hit singles and the rap song became an international hit. Wrote and produced music for a host of renowed people like Whitney Houston,Patti labelle and chaka khan. has a few solo albums.
Referred J.P.-
A tight body filled with tattoos.Grew up in compton, his father abandoned his family as a kid. is married with three kids, He is a music producer cause his boy is a producer..
Referred as Craig-
Part of a successful rap group that changed the dynamics of hip hop with their philosophical rhymes over hard-core beats. Rugged good looks that made him standout in the group. The group never disbanded but each members produced solo albums and were respected. Has also been in various television dramas.
He could have been a model. His smooth,clear and cocoa-brown complexion was perfections. Everything seemed delicately put in place.
hede had a nose hob. It wasn't noticeable until i was close to him.
clay told me he had been in Los Angeles for three years and had already done some commercials and was regular on a popular daytime soap opera. Clay was on the soap for a short while but wanted to get a movie role
Referred as Henry-
Deep voice was rich with a southern texture. After his short-lived porn career, Henry worked as a stunt double for few black action starts, but he later went on to make a name for himself costarring in many major films with paramount and warner bros. He never married, but has been a lover of many Hollywood actresses. his Charming, Smooth personality.
Referred as Sheena-
I don't give a f*ck! a curvaceous woman yelled. She better bring her a$$ over her! Everyone turned around to see who was making such a fuss. It was award-winning female rapper/actress. Apparently , she was upset over something concerning her girlfriend. When she made an appearance on Keenan's show, i couldn't imagine the nicest and sweetest person. She had a striking presence, but it was really her walk that made her appear as if she was pimping.
Referred to as Junior and Fritz-
Both men are young and very attractive and have starred in some comedic and dramatic films. One of the actors "junior" is tall muscular,brown-skinned brother who got his start in television and is known for his comedic roles in films. never married but couple of children with a girlfriend.
The other dark-skinned actor, "Fritz" has been in a few movies and has starred in popular television drama
Referred as Lucas-
A megastar, no matter what film project he was attached to it was abound to be abox office smash. In Hollywood he was considered a golden boy and very bankable. Many rumors about him and even thought he married it was hard for him to shake those pesky gay rumors He was smooth,charismatic and charming.
Referred to as Eli-
A popular Multiplatinum rapper who had just started a label at the time. A Mainstap in the ever-changing Hip Hop industry. He has been hailed as one of the greatest rappers to bless the mic. Eli was a burgeoning superstar who parlayed his marketability into television and movie credits. He even had a promising clothing line.
Referred to as Lola-
Wasn an R&B singer/songwriter from new york moved to LA. Her skilles caught the likes of Devant swing of Jodeci,Stevie J and Dallas Austin. She made a noteworthy album and the critics were eating her up. Her style was hard-edged rap while a little rock and R&B.
Referred to as Flynn-
Featured in a few clothing designer's campaigns and graced the pages of many popular magazines such as GQ,details and vogue. Flynn starred in a Few Music Videos and then later went on to do few movies.
Referred to as Galvin-
Once part of a legendary R&b Group, and who had experience d a brief stint as a successful solo artist who's dating an A-list male actor. Frequently hung out with Janet Jackson and it appeared was that they were dating. Once said engaged but wedding never materialized.
Referred to as Lenny-
Lean,dar-skinned brother with the shiny,bald head. Perfectly trimmed goate gave him a youthfull appearanece
He was the music producer. He had a lot of plaques and awards. Accomplished musician,producer and song-writer. He was a part of one of the most influential musical disco group during the 1970s. Joined the band as a teenager, their music is often heard today in clubs,homes and movies. One of their song is known as the best-selling single on Warner records. Luther Vandross even blessed their albums with his vocal ability. One of the first rap groups in hip-hop sampled one of the band's hit singles and the rap song became an international hit. Wrote and produced music for a host of renowed people like Whitney Houston,Patti labelle and chaka khan. has a few solo albums.
Referred J.P.-
A tight body filled with tattoos.Grew up in compton, his father abandoned his family as a kid. is married with three kids, He is a music producer cause his boy is a producer..
Referred as Craig-
Part of a successful rap group that changed the dynamics of hip hop with their philosophical rhymes over hard-core beats. Rugged good looks that made him standout in the group. The group never disbanded but each members produced solo albums and were respected. Has also been in various television dramas.
FOR MY FRIEND GOING THROUGH A BREAK-UP....
Find a guy who calls you beautiful instead of hot, who calls you back when you hang up on him, who will lie under the stars and listen to your heartbeat, or will stay awake just to watch you sleep... wait for the boy who kisses your forehead, who wants to show you off to the world when you are in sweats, who holds your hand in front of his friends, who thinks you're just as handsome without a haircut or shave. One who is constantly reminding you of how much he cares and how lucky his is to have you.... The one who turns to his friends and says, 'that's him.'”
“No man is worth your tears, but once you find one that is, he won't make you cry”
“I don't pretend to know what love is for everyone, but I can tell you what it is for me; love is knowing all about someone, and still wanting to be with them more than any other person, love is trusting them enough to tell them everything about yourself, including the things you might be ashamed of, love is feeling comfortable and safe with someone, but still getting weak knees when they walk into a room and smile at you.”
“No man is worth your tears, but once you find one that is, he won't make you cry”
“I don't pretend to know what love is for everyone, but I can tell you what it is for me; love is knowing all about someone, and still wanting to be with them more than any other person, love is trusting them enough to tell them everything about yourself, including the things you might be ashamed of, love is feeling comfortable and safe with someone, but still getting weak knees when they walk into a room and smile at you.”
September 21, 2009
INTRODUCING TDK...
Tamia, Deborah Cox and Kelly Price are coming together for an upcoming compilation album called ‘The Queen Project. The new formed trio talked about the new project along with the reality series that will document the process:
Kelly Price says:
“Truly I am excited because what we’re doing has never been done before with three women on CD,” Price told BV Buzz. “Each of us in our own right is a true vocalist and while I am loving what we’re doing in the studio, I just can’t wait for people to see our live show!”
Deborah Cox also commented:
I fee the same way. It’s really the most exciting project I’ve been a part of. We’re going to be raising the bar just a tad. It’s great to work with likeminded individuals. We have the same sentiments as singers, mothers and wives!”
Tamia added:
“I’m so excited to work with these ladies because I’m a fan first, It is fun and we have a really good time together. There’s something special here musically and we have a genuine bond.”
Just when we thought this was all a joke we learned that the trio will be performing in NYC at the Circle of Sisters Expo on October 10th.
Their CD is slated to drop sometime in 2010.
(I'm looking forward to the project, Tamia and Deborah Cox are my 2nd and 3rd favorite female vocalists after "THE VOICE".)
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