Sunday
Oct282007
Did Atlantic Records Attempt to Engage in Musical Child Porn? - Keke ("Akeelah and the Bee") Palmer's Story
Sunday, October 28, 2007 at 8:53PM The Blogmother
I was contacted by Paul Porter from Industry Ears about a month ago about how Atlantic Records tried to get Keke Palmer of the “Akeelah and the Bee” to rerecord Adina Howard's “Freak Like Me”. I did not post about this at the time because I suggested that Paul offer Keke's story to one of the major Black entertainment blogs such as Concrete Loop, Sandra Rose, Bossip or Crunk& Disorderly. I specifically told Paul to contact Natasha over at Young Black & Fabulous because I can remember several times when Natasha has said nice things about Keke's red carpet pics. So I held off writing about it so they could shop it around as a web exclusive to one of the blogs that can get as many hits as I get in an entire day, in one hour. The story has now been posted on so I am assuming they didn't take my advice so I am free to post about it here. I want you to read this letter Paul sent me from Keke and her mother, Sharon and then y'all know moi will have some candid reflections to offer. I hope Paul forwards this post to Keke.
Here is a letter that was forwarded to me on October 4, 2007.
I am sure that part of the reason you are telling your story after the album's release is so that folks will know it is out there, and hopefully they will go buy it. However, you and I both know that you at most are making $1 for very album you sell. That means the other $10-12 is going to the pit of Vipers in the Entertainment Industrial Complex. So if folks rush out to purchase your CD, Atlantic Record's reward for trying to “turn you out” at 13 years old would be to have them make a bundle on your album sales.
Well here at What About Our Daughters? our motto is “Stop Funding Foolishness!” ( get the shirt already). This blog does not promote fattening the pockets of attempted musical child pornographers. So I can't tell my readers “Y'all make sure to go cop Keke's album to show her our support!”. This isn't advice, but quite frankly, this album tanking might be the best thing that ever happened to you. You ought to be thanking the Universe for letting you see who you are dealing with NOW as opposed to later.
You have achieved tremendous success without Atlantic Records. If the record tanks then maybe they will release you so that you can be free to start your own record label and get your own distribution . Own your own music. If your previous works have done as well as you say then you KNOW you can do better than 1,300 records.
Keke, you are very lucky because you have been born into the Golden Age of the Internet. You don't need Atlantic Records to promote your work. You can do it yourself. Thousands of independent artists are doing that same thing right now and they are making money in many cases making more money than a lot of household names. If you want to learn how they do it, you ought to go to the SXSW Music festival. Not a lot of Black artists there, but a TON of artists from around the world who are touring, selling, and promoting independently. They don't have a lot of money either.
So no, I am not going to help you be successful within the system of slithering simpletons. I want you to own your own music, determine your own destiny, and when you go platinum on I-tunes on your next project, print out a copy of the report, frame it and have it couriered to the head of Atlantic Records and say “THIS is why your industry is DYING!”
I am glad that you are telling this story. Because of your success, you are in a unique position to buffer yourself from recriminations from the record label, however, you are also in unique position to show young African American girls that they can be entrepreneurial and produce and distribute their own work without having to put up with foolishness of becoming an indentured servant to some morally bankrupt record label ( I know that is redundant y'all). I'm about to go take a class on how to work with Sonar/Cake Walk so I can start producing music in response to Levell Crump's “Ignorance Personified Tour”. You're 14. I'm 31. If I can learn to do it, I know you can. I am also working on my first screenplay called “Get Those Church Folk Off My Lawn: The Debra Lee Story.”
So Keke hold your head up, have your Mama drive you to the public library and check out a book on how to start your own record label, how to produce your own music, and how to put together your own tour. (Okay, y'all can probably afford Barnes and Noble). Its not as easy as having Atlantic do all of this for you, but if you take off, you do it on your own terms and you get to keep the money. Then when you own your own stuff, I will be more than happy to promote your work.
So I won't tell folks to run out and buy your album. I will however call the head of Atlantic Records a traitor to her gender and a multimedia-crack dealer. I'd call her the Devil, but another female entertainment executive has exclusive rights to the WAOD “DEVIL” designation.
I look forward to the day that you are a mogulette just like Mary Kate and Ashley. Just don't become anorexic or a druggie. Maybe Raven is a better example.
In other words. Move on. Success is the absolute best revenge and you be sure to remember WAOD when Forbes has you listed as one of the richest entertainers.
Let that marinate!
*goes to sit on the WAOD steps and watch the comments fly by*
Visit Keke's site.
Here is a letter that was forwarded to me on October 4, 2007.
Oct 4th, 2007Keke and Sharon, please read this well-known fable:
Hello, my name is Keke Palmer, I am 14 years old, and I played Akeelah, in the movie, Akeelah and the Bee. Please read my letter.
My mother and I are writing this letter together, so we will start from the beginning................
I signed a record deal with Atlantic Records in March of 2006. From the very beginning their A&R representative tried to get me to record inappropriate music, and my parents and I resisted. We became tired of fighting the negative images that the label kept trying to force on me, and started looking for a management company that could deal with the situation. We settled on DAS Entertainment, a management company out of New York, they also represent John Legend, and we love his positive music. Well, the label fought them too! Kept telling them that Keke is "urban", and should be singing urban music. My parents got me in touch with Mr. Edmonds( Babyface) and he and I worked really well together and came up with a good commercial R&B song, but when it came time to pay for the song the label said no, he was "too expensive".
The Senior A&R rep, Mike
Caren, was the main antagonist, he kept on saying , " Keke is urban", so as long as we refused to record the raunchy tracks that he sent us, he refused to pay for the good clean music we brought him, at one point even stopped Keke from recording by not paying for studio time. Unfortunately, management was ineffective dealing with the label, they kept on telling them as well, " we will not promote her unless she records urban music". This statement confused us, because I am an African American young lady from the south side of Chicago . I grew up listening to Brandy, Aaliyah and TLC, so it was not like I was recording rock music! I was recording good music, with great beats, with good positive lyrics, my music is what all kids want to hear no matter where they live. I was blessed to worked with some of the top producers in the business, some cut their price down so that the label would not have an
excuse not to pay for the songs.
The only thing my parents and management could figure out was that the subject matters that I chose to sing about were not as, " urban " and they would have preferred. I am only 14 years old, and when I signed my deal I was only 12 years old, what did they think I would be singing about? Anyway, they kept their word and did very little to promote my cd. They refuse to provide us with a marketing report, management kept asking and on Sept 14th we received the report, 4 days before my cd release date of Sept 18th.
Needless to say, it was not a good report, there was absolutely no plans to pay for a national announcement to tell kids that my cd was even being released! They kept their word and did not promote me, because I refused to go " urban", and sing words that disrespect me and other young girls. My parents tried to promote the release in Chicago( our hometown), they called the press on their own, and managed to get me on some morning shows, but that was only in Chicago. My debut cd that I worked so hard on sold 1,325 copies, the label supposedly shipped 69,000 copies. I was in a Disney Channel movie called, JUMP IN, that over 8 million household tuned in to watch it's debut, also the soundtrack to that moviedebut at#5 on Billboard. Iwas the only artist to have 2 songs on that soundtrack. TheAkeelah DVD sold 1.2 million copies and on that DVD I have a music video, so my audience, kids from 8-15 know who I am. I also sung the end title credit to the block-buster movie NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM, which grossed over 270 million, my voice is the first voice you hear coming out of the movie. Fox tried to get Atlantic to go half on a music video for Keke, but Atlantic declined stating, "that song is NOT "Keke's image" so we will not pay, of course they regretted that after the movie grossed so much! This was way back in February, 2007, this was a forshadowing of events to come!
Yesterday, my mother, Sharon,received a call from an employee of Atlantic Records, a confidential call off the record. The caller told my mother that the president of the label is so disappointed with low sales that she may pull Keke's cd off the shelf. The caller was so upset by this statement that she wanted my parents to know what was being said behind closed doors. I am so disappointed that the label refused to promote me , and now they are blaming me for poor sales! I thought that Congress was working to make the labels promote positive music, well my music is positive , but the label will not spend a dime to promote it because I refused to sing raunchy lyrics, and I dare to call myself Pop/R&B and not urban / Hip-Hop. I am only a kid, my parents would kill me if I sang stuff like that, would they want their daughters to sing negative music? They knew my age when they signed me, they came to me after seeing Akeelah and the Bee, and begged me to sign, so why did they not think that I could
really be like Akeelah a good girl?
In closing, we are asking your advise, should we just let it go, accept the fact that this label will not promote this album. Or should we try to get the message out on our own. I want to try to get the message out because I worked extremely hard on this music and it is good, and the early reviews online are good. I think the kids would like it if they knew that it was out. My parents are so tired of fighting the label. We are not rich and to launch our own promotions may cost a lot of money , so my parents don't want us to go broke trying to push a cd that the label should be pushing, we go broke to break the album, and the label just becomes richer.
My mother read an article online about you two, so we decided to write you a letter in hopes you could help guide. If nothing else, thank you for reading our letter.
Keke & Sharon Palmer
Keke, have a seat and let moi break some terrible news to ya'. Keke, the record industry is full of VIPERS also known as snakes. Now their poisonous nature should have been evident when they tried to turn you out and have a 13 year old sing “ let me lay it on the line I got a little freakiness inside,” but in case there was any doubt, moi is tellin' you now. So you have what some folks like to call a Dilemma.
A young man on a spiritual journey makes a trek to the top of a mountain. Upon reaching his goal, he heard a rustle at his feet, and looking down, he saw a snake. Before he could move, the snake spoke: “I am about to die,” said the snake. “It is too cold for me up here and I am freezing. There is no food and I am starving. Put me under your shirt and take me down to the valley.” “No,” said the youth. “I am forewarned. I know your kind. You are a rattlesnake. If I pick you up, you will bite, and your bite will kill me.” “Not so,” said the snake. “I will treat you differently. If you do this for me, you will be special. I will not harm you.” The youth resisted awhile, but this was a very persuasive snake with beautiful markings. At last the youth tucked it under his shirt and carried it down to the valley. There he laid it gently on the grass. Suddenly the snake coiled, rattled and leapt, biting him on the leg. “But you promised—” cried the poor youth. “You knew what I was when you picked me up,” said the snake as it slithered away. SOURCE
I am sure that part of the reason you are telling your story after the album's release is so that folks will know it is out there, and hopefully they will go buy it. However, you and I both know that you at most are making $1 for very album you sell. That means the other $10-12 is going to the pit of Vipers in the Entertainment Industrial Complex. So if folks rush out to purchase your CD, Atlantic Record's reward for trying to “turn you out” at 13 years old would be to have them make a bundle on your album sales.
Well here at What About Our Daughters? our motto is “Stop Funding Foolishness!” ( get the shirt already). This blog does not promote fattening the pockets of attempted musical child pornographers. So I can't tell my readers “Y'all make sure to go cop Keke's album to show her our support!”. This isn't advice, but quite frankly, this album tanking might be the best thing that ever happened to you. You ought to be thanking the Universe for letting you see who you are dealing with NOW as opposed to later.
You have achieved tremendous success without Atlantic Records. If the record tanks then maybe they will release you so that you can be free to start your own record label and get your own distribution . Own your own music. If your previous works have done as well as you say then you KNOW you can do better than 1,300 records.
Keke, you are very lucky because you have been born into the Golden Age of the Internet. You don't need Atlantic Records to promote your work. You can do it yourself. Thousands of independent artists are doing that same thing right now and they are making money in many cases making more money than a lot of household names. If you want to learn how they do it, you ought to go to the SXSW Music festival. Not a lot of Black artists there, but a TON of artists from around the world who are touring, selling, and promoting independently. They don't have a lot of money either.
So no, I am not going to help you be successful within the system of slithering simpletons. I want you to own your own music, determine your own destiny, and when you go platinum on I-tunes on your next project, print out a copy of the report, frame it and have it couriered to the head of Atlantic Records and say “THIS is why your industry is DYING!”
I am glad that you are telling this story. Because of your success, you are in a unique position to buffer yourself from recriminations from the record label, however, you are also in unique position to show young African American girls that they can be entrepreneurial and produce and distribute their own work without having to put up with foolishness of becoming an indentured servant to some morally bankrupt record label ( I know that is redundant y'all). I'm about to go take a class on how to work with Sonar/Cake Walk so I can start producing music in response to Levell Crump's “Ignorance Personified Tour”. You're 14. I'm 31. If I can learn to do it, I know you can. I am also working on my first screenplay called “Get Those Church Folk Off My Lawn: The Debra Lee Story.”
So Keke hold your head up, have your Mama drive you to the public library and check out a book on how to start your own record label, how to produce your own music, and how to put together your own tour. (Okay, y'all can probably afford Barnes and Noble). Its not as easy as having Atlantic do all of this for you, but if you take off, you do it on your own terms and you get to keep the money. Then when you own your own stuff, I will be more than happy to promote your work.
So I won't tell folks to run out and buy your album. I will however call the head of Atlantic Records a traitor to her gender and a multimedia-crack dealer. I'd call her the Devil, but another female entertainment executive has exclusive rights to the WAOD “DEVIL” designation.
I look forward to the day that you are a mogulette just like Mary Kate and Ashley. Just don't become anorexic or a druggie. Maybe Raven is a better example.
In other words. Move on. Success is the absolute best revenge and you be sure to remember WAOD when Forbes has you listed as one of the richest entertainers.
Let that marinate!
*goes to sit on the WAOD steps and watch the comments fly by*
Visit Keke's site.
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Reader Comments (79)
It is truly sad that this record company would try to basically prostitute this child out like that. This is a 14 year old girl, and they want her to sing a song about being a freak, something that hopefully she knows nothing about in real life.
great advise, Gina!
I can see how someone could get miss guided and see a young girl trying to make it and promote her record.
But your reasoning for not doing so and going via internet is a much better long term answer!
I hope the co. can't sue her or anything. don't know how these things work.
advice*
Yeah well, that's Lyor Cohen for you and his boss Edgar Bronfman, Jr. (who has two black daughters, by the way). Lyor whom I've known since 1985 calls the day to day shots at Warner and Edgar sets the overall strategy.
'Cause of that bullshit I exited the music industry a few years ago. These white boys are evil.
DAS Entertainment, by the way, ain't much better. David Sonnenberg (the DAS in DAS Entertainment)screwed up Lauryn Hill.
http://assaultonblacksanity.blogspot.com/2007/05/happy-mothers-day-mofo.html
*SIGH* I wish I could say more. Perhaps I will after soaking up some more of the "marinade".
As everybody knows by now, I am a black female singer & musician, and made the same choice to reject the music industry altogether -- and become a sytems engineer -- for the same reason.
They did not have iTunes or Rhapsody in my day. They didn't have Cakewalk, or Protools for prosumers in my day either.
Gina's advice is 100% correct. I have a 17-year old nephew who sold more than 10,000 copies of a song that he personally wrote, and produced with my brother (who is an amazing producer and has his own independent label) in his basement. (email me at SheCodes1@gmail.com for his name and info).
The point is, THE DAY OF THE BIG LABEL IS COMING TO A CLOSE. HALLELUJAH. "Independent" is where it is at. My nephew has gone on tour, complete with screaming fans without one dime from Atlantic.
HOWEVER... now that he has proven his ability to generate musical income with next to nothing, Atlantic, Motown and all of those cats are all up in his face, wanting him to sign with them. And he is an R&B singer, not a rapper... I hope to God that he doesn't sign.
I have had several talks to him about 'selling himself and black women out' if he happens to sign. I will take a switch out and do damage to his hindquarters if I see him doing that same, predictable, freaky-deaky stuff.
It doesn't surprise me that they would want this from a 14 year old.
You and your parents have done the right thing. Just take ONE LOOK at Britney Spears -- a girl in serious crisis -- to see what growing up too fast does.
They will exalt you, and then throw you to the ground and humiliate you. And I hope that black youth is SMARTER than my generation, and learn that ENTREPRENEURSHIP is the only way for success.
Peace
Michael Fisher I KNOW you did not come on What About Our Daughters? with a comment.
Not after you have libeled me and this site and outright LIED on your site and had the audacity to send your foolishness to BET so that they could mass produce it.
Why on earth are you reading WAOD as you have called me a Black man hating Eugenist who wants Black women to breed with white men to purify the race? Which is an outright lie.
Folks Michael Fisher is an Internet Ike Turner.(Go read the post about him and his legion of followers) He must have noticed the comments moderation being off and decided to slip in. Do not engage directly with him. Lest you find yourself having to call law enforcement shortly thereafter. He is no friend of Black people in general, Black women in particular. He was a fan of THAT SHOW and a defender of J. Donaldson ONLY because I was opposed to it.
Of all the NERVE! I haven't forgotten. I never will. You are one of the FEW people that AIN'T welcome on WAOD. Reprint THIS comment on your site and launch another libelous rant.
Sincerely,
Gina/GEM/SYNAMON
Well she and her mom made the right choice. Too bad others don't.
blkseagoat,
be careful about that marinating, if you let it marinate too long, you brain will become mushy and your will become susceptible to attorneymom's influence.
Ooooookay. I was wondering why comments were able to be posted so quickly and I guess I'll have to google Michael Fisher (I already know who Jam is). The whole reason for the sighing is that in the past week I have realized a few things about myself: I still despise white folks, I am very angry about how black people revel in being trifling, and that most of what I feel is completely overwhelming, not to mention depressing.
Kudos to you Gina for posting this girl's account of her non-vaselinic, anal screwing by AR. Now I'm glad I haven't bought a CD in ages and I'm more inclined to purchase independent stuff.
Kudos to both Lady Palmers for not allowing a 14 YEAR OLD to be WHORED OUT! I mean, really, WHAT THE F---? This is why I have to let stuff marinate a little extra. I have a mouth like a sailor and reading this post this morning just made it hard for some white person to come into my office and beg for some money. I can't even put out a complete thought I'm so angry.
Sometimes I just wanna opt out of society as a whole because people are becomingly increasingly stupid.
*sigh* (I really should have marinated more)
Good morning, all!
Gina, I love the proverb that you used in your post. Whereever did you find that? I love proverbs (biblical and otherwise).
Sex sells, and I hope this young lady and her family keep that in mind going forward. I hope they won't allow her to be a pawn in a game that is eternally destructive.
The label's behavior isn't just inexcusable, it's illogical. Judging by her letter, she already has an audience. A white girl the same age as her would never be expected to ho herself out like that. I'm glad her parents are standing firm on their beliefs.
@Michael Fisher: The correct way for the title of your blog should be written "...Black Folks' Sanity". When you're speaking of more than one, the s should have an apostrophe. (Ref: 2) With plural nouns ending in an s, add only the apostrophe; ex:
the guards' duties, the Nuns' habits, the Joneses' house)
1st off, I hadn't even heard that the young lady had a CD, and that's really bad, as I am "kinda" IN the Music Business! Further, I have a sort of "relationship" with Warner Music and Atlantic Records, and STILL didn't know? They really didn't want to promote this kid.
2nd, THIS is the type of disparity that the Rev's and Co should be speaking on. Young 14 year old White girls get to sing fluff songs, high school romance, musical stuff, but they want one of OUR young sisters to sing "Freak Like Me", we should boycott Atlantic Records and Warner Music on general principle!
There are many types of censorship and this child's situation is an example of Corporate Censorship. Look at what happened by 1996:
P.E., De La Soul, all progressive or even real "Back Pack" Hip-Hop acts found themselves dropped by record labels and attacked by "critics" of rap magazines for not sounding gangsta (I'll never forget you, Toure).
Instead of keeping these acts based on the fact that they were still selling to a loyal audience, they were cut and potential artists who did not fall into the gangsta vein weren't even going to be looked at by the labels.
I agree with Gina that it was a good thing the record tanked but it tanked because Atlantic wanted it to. Record labels do this a lot to artists who they have disagreements with overr content or they just choose not to release the album.
Being the father of a 8 y/o, I've seen plenty of records of young female "artists" promoted on that (sh*tty)network, Disney.
The teen acts sing innocent fluff - crappy innocent fluff and they are (for the most part) dressed moderately; but of course these singers are white girls.
Lyor, and the other Atlantic execs have strange ideas about what is "urban" and they obviously have the same problem that our young men have who happens to write rap lyrics; in that they only see black women as sexual creatures to be put down or exploited. But of course this should come as no surprise since it is the executive layer of all corporations in the entertainment industry who distributes and controls misogynist and racist content to begin with. Therefore, 14 y/o white girls get to be "cute and fun" and 14 y/o black girls need to be sexual and "nasty".
I am so glad that this is being put out there for people to read about.
As for the Michael Fisher stuff, I value a great deal with what he had to say about this issue and he has always been on point on most race issues on his blog, but back in July, upon further reading based on his posts on the Hudlin Board regarding Gina's ONE comment on Evia's blog, I felt his connection to you and Evia/Evia's beliefs were thin.
I don't agree with her at all on her ideas about the handful of black people in our community who aren't "evolved". I actually feel sorry for her on most of her beliefs, but her stance or preferences (or any black person's preferences when it comes to choosing a mate) regarding interracial relationships are irrelevant in the face of black people's fight for liberation.
There are plenty of stances (philosophical, political , and cultural) that I have differences with Gina on, but I never felt that the "eugenics" thing was one of them and that charge never stuck to her in my book.
cosign with Gina on Micahel Fisher.
He really is mentally disturbed. Has anyone ever met him? Someone should get his picture and post it because this man should be publically identified as crazy! I've actually forwarded a few of his rantings to the FBI. This man is really unsettling. Seriously, unsettling. I'm all for freedom of speech but he really advocates homicide and violence towards black women. He doesn't libel black women he actually tells his readers to commit violence against sistas he deems are disposable.
So you ask what drew me to his blog? The title alone I thought was authentic and I could identify with it. But after reading some of his rants, I knew this brotha had some deep unresolved issues. He REALLY is the internet Ike Turner. His anger, rage, contempt and homicidal rantings toward black women are unreal.
On a lighter note, I've started a blog focused on the exploitation of black women in the media. My blog is a call to action. I'm still working on a few things. It's not done yet, but stay tuned. We must all fight this!!!
@ Miss Thing regarding MF
You see what kind of people BET, Reginald Hudlin, and Jameela Donaldson aligned themselves with?
Sometimes the enemy of your enemy is NOT your friend. He absolutely tries to incite violence against African American female bloggers. He's been successful at it too.
He tried to kill this blog in its infancy literally. Because I have a link and post on Evia's blog he basically ran around to other African American blogging groups and outright lied about WAOD so much so that someone asked me to say on my podcast "I do not hate Black men." I was like WHAT? Nothing about my blog is anti-Black male. I was trying to do something good and he was trying to snuff the blog out within its first week in existence all because of one blog that is on my blog roll.
He is Pharaoh and I am baby moses. you know how this story is going to end.
So I don't know why he would some on this blog at all since he hates me and promotes violence against African American female bloggers.
I ignored him for a while, but with crazy folks like this sometimes you just have to confront them. So If I come up missing. Look in his direction first.
Purchase the album. Allow KeKe to collect her royalties while her attorney negotiates a release from Atlantic Records. KeKe needs to make sure that the Release Agreement include turning ownership of any and all masters recorded by her while at Atlantic.
In the event that Atlantic does not release her from her Contract, KeKe is going to need to pay her attorneys to either sue to void her current Artist Agreement with Atlantic Records or sue Atlantic Records for breach of contract. Besides, since advances were almost none for the Album, Atlantic's recoupment costs should be low; therefore, KeKe should be able to earn decent royalty payments on album sales.
In addition, she should follow Gina's advice and start her own label and production company. If she needs any assistance with this endeavor, please feel free to contact me.
: - )
Sidebar: Thanks, Gina, for this info. I have added to my blog.
Shecodes, if need an Entertainment Attorney, hola. LOL
Seriously, I use to work as an Attorney in the Royalties Department for a Major Record Company.
Gina, I take it that Michael Fisher is on your "SIT YOUR AZZ DOWN" list. LOL.
Blkseagoat knows he has a crush on me. LOL. It is okay to confess your attraction for me.
@Attornymom:
REalllllllllly. You know I am liscensing a gang of music for the score / soundtrack for the film I wrote and hopefully will produce after the 1st, I REALLLLYY could use a lawyer :-)
attorneymom has officially lost her mind.
You leave blkseagoat alone.
DJ Black Adam, email Attorneymom96@yahoo.com so that we can exchange contact info.
Does Johnny have a blog?? The Holy Ghost needs to harass him. I am already harassing DJ Blk Adam and Blkseagoat. What the heck is that symbol on Blkseagoat's blog???
Wow, this all sounds serious, Gina.
What has he said or done so the public can know about this? Is it on his blog as well? I need to get a link of that post.
I am totally against purchasing her album, as I will never fund those parasites on young musicians. I would prefer to boycott their other musicians in protest, and set up hey -- maybe a scholarship fund (instead of Genarlows'?) It's a thought. She might get a bachelor is Music Technology from NYU (fantastic program) and rid herself of them altogether.
BTW, that symbol on blkseagoat is the logo for the group jamiroquai
http://www.jamiroquai.co.uk/
I will admit, whenever I see it, I'm wondering if I'm looking at the symbol for some cult. But their music is the bomb though (what I remember of it)
It's SATAN!!! j/k... It's a symbol from Jamaroquai's Black Capricorn LP.
Me being the capricorn I am (in every semblance of the attributes of this zodiac sign), I thought it was befitting. I have to keep my identity under wraps for right now because I have blog linked to other sites. Not that I am ashamed of what I look like, I think I'm pretty damn easy on the eyes... and the loins (lmbao).
BTW, Gina... MLK weekend is also Bayard Rustin weekend in ATL, I want to go protesting, but I may have duties to attend to in ATL.
Attorneymom said: "Does Johnny have a blog?? The Holy Ghost needs to harass him."
BWAAHAA HAHAA.... (it's an inside joke, for those who are newbies)
P.S. A 14 year old doesn't need to be working. She should be in school and enjoying her childhood, IMHO.
Now she sounds like a very nice child, and definitely has good parents, but too many greedy parents are trying to cash their kids to the Hollywood/music system. Not a good look.
Thanks for the education. But that symbol looks like a demon. That is some scary mess.
As for KeKe staying in school, I agree. But we need children in the entertainment business. She has a strong mother that will keep her grounded. I have tremendous respect for her and Rayven Symone. Both are extremely talented and carry themselves in a respectable manner.
Brotherkomrade, for those of you who've been to BlackVoices, know that he's one and the same as RebelG, well known on that site for constantly harassing black women who dare date IR. He was also known as Canonet on AskHeartbeat where he did the same.
Don't get me started on his harassment of me, which has gone on for more than a decade. He posted a picture of MY CHILD on my blog in a post where he indicated that any biracial child's whose white parent didn't follow his agenda didn't love their child. (He subsequently took the picture down after I pointed out that it belonged to AP, and they probably wouldn't take too kindly to him using it in such a manner.) He and one his buddies posted pictures of me (which they stole from another site) and my husband on Black Voices where he alleged that my husband cheated on me and all manner of other hatefulness that I won't go into again. Dude is beyond certififiable, I can't believe no one has locked his crazy ass up by now.
Any black woman who dares date IR is his target, whether they subscribe to Evia's ideals or not and I certainly do not. Dude has got some kind of crazy gong on for black women in IRs. Interestingly enough, I think he probably only gunned for Gina because he thought she was an IRer. Now that he knows she's not, he probably wants to make friends.
Just know he's been up to this fucknuttery for more than a decade now, and be wary of him, he's a bona fide nutjob.
This is something like what my girlfriend Monica was talking about on her blog. She was talking about books, but it's essentially the same thing. Young black girls are presumed to be sluts, whereas young white girls are presumed to be virgins and no matter what we do we can't seem to overcome this. Why? Because it's profitable to a certain segment of the population. Never mind that it's destroying a whole generation of young women in girls. Makes me wanna holla!
I would prefer to boycott their other musicians in protest
That is the most effective way.
Corporations will cut ties with sacrificial lambs but when other artists are hurt, thats the damage. Because its not just the lamb its the whole cash cow.
Example: When R.Kelly was getting in trouble 4-5 years ago how fast would JIVE records have cut him if their top 3 artists were boycotted (Backstreet Boys, NSync, Britney Spears) in protest? That was A LOT of money in the day. More than R. Kelly could bring in.
JIVE would not have been able to drop him fast enough!
Approaches like that rarely happen because people will be asked to give up something they like instead of talking about what they don't. Its easy to turn your back on something that you don't like or consume.
Who is Evia?????
"...Young black girls are presumed to be sluts, whereas young white girls are presumed to be virgins and no matter what we do we can't seem to overcome this. Why? Because it's profitable to a certain segment of the population. Never mind that it's destroying a whole generation of young women in girls..."
And yet, the presumptions that are to be made under this particular sexist/racist dynamic are contradicted on the streets or at least by my own observations. In the Upper West Side on Manhattan, I see white teen girls in their skirts modified to ridiculous lengths. One time, my wife and I saw a child probably 8 or 9 dressed like Madonna circa 1986 (but still very inappropriate). Yet, when I'm picking up my youngest in Harlem, rarely do I see a black girl dressed to that extreme fro school.
But thanks to EVERY corporate media outlet out there we are to believe that opposite as far as imagery goes; that black and Latina girls are sexually "ready" and are down "4 whateva". It does make me angry, but hey, you gotta give it to Raven Simone; even though she's related to THAT MAN, she has portrayed a very positive role as a black girl who is trying to do something; even if it is fashion designing which by the way, has gotten my 8 y/o to talking about being a designer instead of a scientist (what I wanted).
Attorney Mom -here's Evia's blog:
http://bfinterracialmarriage.blogspot.com/
@Roslyn:
Ole' boy did all that? Damn...Say the word and "Proper Marine Corps Fashion" can happen, you can say you didn't know what I meant for “Plausible deniability” purposes :-)
I Kid, I Kid!!
Yeah, my niece is totally besotted with Raven Simone... I don't know much about her, but am both amused and alarmed by the blind shero-worship (trying to talk like her, wearing that side-ponytail, etc).
At least my niece wants to be an pediatrician AND a fashion designer, lol.
LOL. So far, I've found an interesting blog that mentions a Rebel G on Black Voices, and yes, they mention IR and flames.
Still reading through...
Roslyn, that's why I stop commenting on Black Voices and a few others. RebelG and others like him on mentally disturbed. I'm serious.
I joke with my daughters if all the black female singers/actresses look alike, all the same complexion with long flowing hair. Yet, some of the black male artists are not the most attractive. But all black female performers must look like Beyonce
White females are seen as sluts as well. The only difference is the balance. Because MTV and trashy white girl stereotype is synonomous.
There is no balance of Black females unfortunately.
Ok. Enough of this nonsense.
Ms. McCauley, as you full well know, public assertions of criminal conduct such as "incitement of violence against black women bloggers" and such allegedly "successful" incitement are actionable. I suggest you cease and desist.
As to Ms. Holcolmb, I will repeat here what I sent you in a private e-mail:
I strongly suggest that you retract these defamatory public statements. Alternatively you will certainly hear from my attorneys. Public libel is no joke. Particularly when you unequivocally state that a person has conducted what amounts to criminal conduct.
Both of you have not only made false and libelous statements, but have now riled up enough ill-will to have a person threaten lethal violence against me.
Mr. "DJ Adam" your post is no joke and is, in fact, as close to a criminal terrorist threat as one can come.
Again, I suggest that you, too, cease and desist, else I most certainly will forward your "kidding" threat to the appropriate law enforcement agencies.
Regards,
Michael Fisher
You're right, there are plenty of white girls acting downright skanky on television -- many of us forget those court TV shows, in addition to the talk shows and "reality" TV.
But for each one of those skanks, there are 999 TV commericals with loving white mom images selling Jell-O, Windex, Campbell soup, and Hi-C. They've got the hair flipping Suave commercials and the 'don't hate me because I'm beautiful' Pantene commercials. They're on every TV show as either the desirable damsel in distress or the kick-butt heroine.
But Black women, have precious few counterbalances. There are a few out there, but the scales are tipped exactly the opposite.
"Mr. "DJ Adam" your post is no joke and is, in fact, as close to a criminal terrorist threat as one can come."
Bwahahahahahaha! Dude you take yourself WAYYYYYYYYYYYY to seriously. I said I was kidding, and besides, where I come from "Proper Marine Corps Fashion" means: "Hold hands and sing Kumbya"...its all in the interpretation Mike. However, you can feel free to notify any "agency" you want to, they might need a good giggle for themselves.
BTW "Mike", that's Mr. DJ "BLACK" Adam, wouldn't want you to be confused.
I would LOVE nothing better than to have my day in court and I can assure you that there will be a cross complaint.
Besides, you will save me the trouble of having to track you down.
Please have your attorneys contact me immediately so that I can put them into contact with MINE!
Folks stop engaging with MF. That is what he wants.
This is his MO. he has taken over countless comments threads on the internet, he is not going to take over mine.
Michael Fisher you are not welcome on this blog. You have an ENTIRE blog of your own, plus Reginald Hudlin's message board to launch your attacks.
Be gone pest.
@ Attorneymom,
Hey why does the Holy Ghost need to harass me, just because it aint you there is no need for Him to come after me
blkseagoat,
Attorneymom is the one with the crush on YOU.
She apparently wants to lay HANDS on you. You know it is always the Holy Rollers
Johnny,
That whole "Holy Ghost" harrassment is SO not of God. What book of the bible is that in? the Book of Attorneymom.
"You are no one's Holy Ghost!" - For some reason that makes me burst out laughing EVERY time I remember that podcast. BWHAHAHA!
@ Gina
Might I suggest an IP ban on Mr Fischer. That would totally prevent him from disrupting your flow