Just when I toy with giving up blogging, I get sucked back in. I had hoped this was a hoax, but apparently Tavis Smiley, who is accused of gathering large numbers of Black folks together so that they could get pitched predatory Wells Fargo loans (disproportionately affecting Black women) is joining forces with another accused predator, R. Kelly. Its amazing that the primary unifying force in the Black community is EXPLOITATION of women and girls. If you go to TavisTalks.com you will see front and center and item announcing that R. Kelly has joined Smiley Books. When is that State of the Black Union and how do we get a permit to protest it? I’m serious.
Now how do I know this? I mean afterall, after Smiley employees went $(*#&^*%& crazy when I pointed out that his “Blogger Superstar” contest was elitist and was a demonstrable display of ignorance about social media, I try to avoid discussing Smiley on this blog. I don’t need anymore hysterical phone calls. I know about this perverted partnership between accused predators because their idiot publicists sent me an email about it. How do you fix yourself to type WHATABOUTOURDAUGHTERS in the “To:” field to promote a book my a man who allegedly preys on our daughters?
Normally, I don’t include publicist contact information because I don’t want them to be pestered by readers angry emails and calls =, but in this case I will make an exception because they truly deserve your irate emails and calls for sending a press release to promote the work of a man who preys on girls to a blog called WHAT ABOUT OUR DAUGHTERS. File this under “too stupid to breathe”. Behold the ignorance of the accused predator promoting publicists and the laundry list of BLACK WOMEN who signed up to clean up and bury R. Kelly’s dirty laundry. This is disgusting:
For Immediate Release
Contacts:
Ami Watkin, 212-584-5000×335; awatkin@fenton.com
Sarah Bacon, 212-584-5000×318; sbacon@fenton.comR. KELLY TO RELEASE MEMOIR WITH SMILEYBOOKS
R & B Superstar Ready to Reveal the Secrets of His Roller-Coaster Ride to the TopLos Angeles—December 9, 2009—R & B superstar R. Kelly (born Robert Sylvester Kelly) will publish his memoir with SmileyBooks, the publisher announced today.
A three-time Grammy Award winner whose remarkable career spans two decades filled with achievements, R. Kelly has thrilled audiences and sold more than 34 million records worldwide, including six No. 1 albums, twelve platinum-plus selling albums, and eleven No. 1 singles. Over the years, he has collaborated with and written songs for music icons from all genres, including Michael Jackson, Mary J. Blige, Pussycat Dolls, Usher, and Celine Dion. Most recently, he earned rave reviews for his Ladies Make Some Noise Tour, and on December 1, Kelly released his tenth studio album, Untitled, including the chart-topping “Number One,” and his new hot single “Echo.”
“We are thrilled to be the conduit through which R. Kelly will tell his own story,” said Tavis Smiley, founder and publisher of SmileyBooks. “He has earned the right to tell his story his own way.”
In the memoir, Kelly, writing with celebrity author David Ritz, will detail the agony of losing his mother, whom he adored. He will reveal how the same creative soul that came up with such inspiring ballads as the iconic “I Believe I Can Fly” and “You Are Not Alone,” which became a No. 1 hit for Michael Jackson, could also generate such sexy R & B mega-hits as “Bump N’ Grind,” “Ignition,” and “When a Woman’s Fed Up.” And he will discuss the six-year legal ordeal that nearly ruined his life, but finally ended in vindication when he was found innocent of child pornography charges in 2008. YOU WERE FOUND “NOT GUILTY”- THERE IS A DIFFERENCE!
“I’m writing this book as Robert, not R. Kelly,” the singer says. “I’m tired of being misunderstood. I will show you the tears, fears, and sweat. I will open my heart and reveal the good in my life as well as all the drama. I want to tell it like it is.” OH REALLY? LIke when you asked a reporter ”When you say teenage how old are you talking”
The collaboration between Kelly and Ritz is destined to captivate readers, says SmileyBooks President Cheryl Woodruff. Or REPULSE THEM
“You have the creative passion of R. Kelly, revealed in his groundbreaking Trapped in the Closet series, coupled with writer David Ritz, who has collaborated with the musicians Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, B.B. King, and Aretha Franklin. It’s a great pairing.”
Kelly’s book joins a SmileyBooks roster that includes the latest offering from New York Times bestselling author Cornel West, Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud, A Memoir, as well as Jeff Johnson’s Everything I’m Not Made Me Everything I Am. Other SmileyBooks authors include Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Tom Burrell, Sophia Nelson, and New York Times bestsellers Iyanla Vanzant and Tavis Smiley.
R. Kelly’s memoir, as yet untitled, is scheduled for release by SmileyBooks in early 2011.
ABOUT SMILEYBOOKS
Founded by media pioneer Tavis Smiley in 2004, SmileyBooks (www.smileybooks.com) is a general trade book publisher that specializes in quality nonfiction. A dynamic company dedicated to the new media landscape, SmileyBooks publishes books by authors ranging from established New York Times bestsellers to exciting new voices on topics that appeal to a broad spectrum of readers.
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22 comments ↓
Serious neck roll action. I blogged about his new super hit “Pregnant” trash Monday on my FB page. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=au3Kkrvwb48
What can I say? Nothing about RKelly that hasn’t been already said. I am to say the least disappointed that Tyrese and Robin Thicke signed on to do this song with R. Kelly. Then again, I am not surprised when Hollywood and Europeans give Roman Polanski a pass.
You would think that people didn’t have daughters themselves, because if they did I would feel sorry for them as said daughters might be offered up as sacrifices to the molesters – rapists.
I can see they are about to be put on blast from your supporters and they are deserving of mass media and black woman (and men) outrage. Let’s give it to ‘em.
YouTube is full of still videos with this song. When the video comes out, I will not watch but I can imagine how scandalous it will be. Can you imagine the young bw who will be singing right along with this song? Check out what one ignorant commenter said about this song on YouTube. Leaves me SMH.
“i love dis song, da best parts in order is robin thicke, den r.kelly, den tyrese, den the dream last, cuz iont really like the dream part”
And uh, I am not surprised that Tavis will publish R. Kelly’s book of escapades (excuse me, I meant memoirs). Not at all shocked at those who would embrace black woman victimization and attempt to even justify it in one breath, while pretending in the next breath to uphold black women’s honor. Duplicity comes to mind. Black people wake up!
I am still mad at the Wells Fargo fiasco. Is Tavis done hustling Dr Kings name and now doing this nonsense
Ok Lorraine, I just listened to this “Pregnant” song. I’m adding to my wishlist to live in a city that does not have an urban radio station. The foolishness and the foolish who follow; the hood is in a irreparable state of affairs.
Sis. Gina, don’t forget, a few months ago, R. Kelly admitted he is basically illiterate. Almost 40 years old, an “alledged” rapist AND he can’t read?
What’s he gonna do when the book come out, he can’t even read his own book!!!!!!
R.Kelly is a virus. Tavis is the host spreading the virus.
@Lorraine
There have even been Black women willing to work with this pervert. Keri Hilson recently did a song with him and Keyshia Cole went on tour with him just after his trial.
I guess to some success and money is more important than protecting our children from sickos like him.
Lorraine wrote:
[What can I say? Nothing about RKelly that hasn’t been already said. I am to say the least disappointed that
Tyrese and Robin Thicke signed on to do this song with R. Kelly. Then again, I am not surprised when Hollywood and Europeans give Roman Polanski a pass.
You would think that people didn’t have daughters themselves, because if they did I would feel sorry for them as said daughters might be offered up as sacrifices to the molesters – rapists. ]
@Lorraine
I know. Whoopi Goldberg’s lame “It wasn’t ‘rape-rape’” defense of Polanski is an example of how deluded or hypocritical people can be:
http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/bighollywood/2009/10/02/when-youve-lost-snl-whoopi-gets-slammed/
On that note, I think you should read this commentary on how America has reached this point:
Roman Polanski, Child Rape, and the Shifting Sands of Cultural Morality:
http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jdboreing/2009/10/20/roman-polanski-child-rape-and-the-shifting-sands-of-cultural-morality/
Yikes! Fenton Communications has NO CLUE what they have just attached themselves to. They are (were) a reputable communications firm doing great work and I am sure that they think Tavis = good. They don’t know anything about his hustler/big pimpin’ mentality and his use of black women to shelter himself from blame.
Contacting the publicists directly won’t do any good. They’ll just give some canned response and never forward your outrage to the folks who can really stop this madness.
Call Fenton Communications and ask to speak to one of the gazillion Senior Vice Presidents:
New York
260 Fifth Avenue
Ninth Floor
New York, NY
10001 U.S.A.
Ph: 212.584.5000
Fx: 212.584.5045
Tell them you had no idea Fenton was in the business of promoting child rapists. And yes, use HARSH language like that.
I have already called.
thanks Reese
Tavis is going to publish Chester the child molester’s (r.kelly) book, this is the man that’s always black this and black that why isn’t he for the little black GIRLS that Chester the child molester (r. kelly) has RAPED over the years. During his whole trial which took forever to get underway, i believed as well as others that Chester was guilty. No one ever said he didn’t do it because most people know and has always know for a long time that r. kelly has a thing for young girls. They didn’t advocate for the young girl either people were just sitting back waiting to see how this thing would turn out as well as mocking him.
If a white man was on videotape doing what Chester the child molester (r. kelly) had been accused of doing to a underage black girl everyone would be outraged including Tavis and if that white man would’ve gotten off it would’ve been hell within this community but i guess if a black man do it to a underage black girl it’s ok. This man was on tape doing this and everyone who saw it says it looks like him. This young girl wasn’t even protected by her parents they defended him by saying it wasn’t her even after the young girls aunt said it was her on the video.
R. Kelly has said he had “a problem” i think his problem is that he has a thing for very young girls as well as a sex addiction. Why would a grown man run off and secretly marry a 15 yr old? He’s a Child Molester and he knows it.
Is that Toure “Michelle Obama’s a ghetto girl” I see giving that interview? Just when I think there cannot POSSIBLY be any lower depths to sink to.
Is this the same Tavis that likes to discuss “black people” progress each year? There will never be progress if you don’t respect women and girls. If you continue to rally behind child molesters and people that promote illegitimacy and sexual promiscuity you don’t deserve any progress. How could you promote a book by an illiterate and a suspected sex offender? I think the black community has reached a tipping point and I’m very sad for the future.
I never cared for Tavis Smiley.
As far as, R’s book, touching issues on the death of his mother. His mother died like over ten years ago and he’s still grieving. Any excuse to divert the attention away from his child rubbing liaisons.
Was he actually thinking about his momma when he was sexing and urinating all over that little girl??? I don’t believe alot of things but i believe my eyes and I know what I saw in that video and it was him!!!!!!
wow is all i can say…
what is going on?
I told folks Smiley was wack…
It is so obvious this man is SICK and abusing young girls, yet people continue to support him and his aberrant activities. Sad! That pregnant song is disgusting and speaks volumes about him and the fools singing along with him.
And if he is trying to justify his pedophilia with this book, he can forget it. Women and girls the world over are being abused and violated by degenerates like him. Smh.
Right on Trish, LD and others Tavis Smiley has soooo disappointed me…
talking out of both sides of his neck!
I heard Chris Brown is seeking a book deal…maybe Tavis can jump on that too
Or how about Chris Brown and R. Kelly on a track together, K-Ci Hailey, Mary J. Blige’s Ex can produce, he was said to have beaten Mary J. repeatedly and held a gun to her head.
I feel for Tavis, really I do, he has such a difficult job…with so many talented artists of color to choose from…how can he ever decide whom to work with??? Who should he spend his energy, spirit and time to promote…
It’s a no brainer..R. Kelly!!!!
Gina,
First I just need to say that I absolutley love your blog! Keep doing what you are doing!
Tavis Smiley has proven himself to be an opportunist and a capitalist time and time again. By publishing this book he further lets us(Black Women)know where his loyalties truly lie. We also have to understand that R. Kelly has managed to maintain a HUGE number of his female fans, so this book will definitly sell. I live in Chicago and witnessed many women standing outside the courtroom shouting words of encouragement and support for him during his trial for rape.
We don’t have time to big angry with the Tavis’s and R Kelly’s of the world. They are a product of Black Women’s abandonment of our own Agenda. Black Women have to create national forums for discussions about feminism, divestment, and the value of Black Female Flesh! Our continued silence around the ways in which gender and race intersect negatively in our lives create a market where R. Kelly and Tavis Smiley can commodify Black Female Flesh!
Black Women can no longer be REACTIVE…lets be PROACTIVE in the fight for our survival.
No Thanks Tavis and R. Kelly…
So I’m all ears for what you think is a proactive response to Tavis & Kelly ?
The first proactive step has been taken by What About Our Daughters! Now we need Black Women to flood Smiley publishing with complaints, put pressure on Black Womens Organizations to SPEAK OUT, and announce a boycott of all things Smiley via the national media. The question is can and will we do it?
How disgusting. Won’t be buying and will ignore/cut off anyone who does in my circle.
Okay, lets see your plan. Come up with a plan and I’ll post it.