An Open Letter to Fellow Urban Website Editors, Bloggers, Magazine and Newspaper Writers

Reprinted with the express permission of the author.....

I know it’s hard to get by a day without using the N word that we have so richly accepted and embraced in this Hip-Hop/Black culture. I know it’s easy to continue to use the word without abandon simply because it’s a part of our vernacular. I can even agree that I’ve been caught up in the constant use of the word, but, can we make a collaborative effort to stop using that term in the presence of ‘company’?

I try my best not to use the word in my articles, rants and columns, unless done so for emphasis, not to say that it’s right, but just to drive home a point sometimes. What I hate seeing, is when I read a magazine, such as XXL, and the first column I read, within the first two paragraphs, I am already exposed to the N word and then I think to myself, ‘Damn, we are not in the hood speaking amongst ourselves anymore’. Hip-Hop has such a diversified audience nowadays that every word that is literally spoken or written in Hip-Hop is exposed to the masses and we have to stop and wonder why ‘others’ feel as if they can comfortably repeat a statement, phrase or a verse they hear on a rap record or read in an article.

Now, I hate to call out Datwon Thomas, because he is one of the few guys that I honestly like from a standpoint of being a good guy (Except the fact that I haven’t written not one article for XXL, KING or any other Harris property!) or any other Website Owner or Editor that has control over these matters, but we NEED to be careful with what we are putting out there for the masses. None of us would want to hear a white or Asian person using that word so freely, but how can we get mad when we are putting it out there for them to use. And not only use but use in front of us?

I’ve been advocating for years for artists to curb the use of the ignorance of the word but of course, money talks and most rappers continue to use the N word in song. Nowadays, we hear it blatantly on the radio and if the radio stations don’t even bleep it out anymore, then what does that tell us?

It’s bad enough that most popular publications and websites report the negativity that goes on in Hip-Hop without offering the positive aspects of this community. We, as property owners or delegators of content, should be held to a higher standard ESPECIALLY the more popular publications and I would like to see the use of the N word brought to a minimum when you KNOW your audience is mostly the general public.

Collectively, we have to take responsibility for what the general audience is seeing and PARTICULARLY, our children are witnessing the lack of respect not only against us, but amongst us.

Questions To The Radio Stations That Banned Chris Brown Songs.....

Now, I never chimed in on the Chris Brown situation because, um, everyone else has! We don't know what happened between he and Rihanna and we may never know the exact truth, but that's not what this conversation is about! (And for the record, men shouldn't hit women, maybe a very strong bear hug to calm her down may work!)

I've read, heard and seen radio stations banning his songs after the incident with Rihanna and that's the stations decision. My question to those same radio stations is, Did you ban R. Kelly when he was accused of 'having relations' with that young girl? If you answered yes, then I applaud you, but if you answer no, I ask, why the moral decision now? I also ask if you will ban any other artist who has been accused or arrested for an illegal act? And if not, why not? Did you ban T. I. when he was arrested for his illegal gun charges? Will you ban Lil Wayne for his weapons possession charge? Does this mean that when an artist is arrested, will you include that artist on your ban list? Please explain why only Chris Brown when we always hear about an artist being accused or arrested for something?

I don't understand when an outrage only applies to certain artists. If you want to do the right thing, then why are the radio stations only playing the same song and artists 28 times a day when there are BETTER artists trying to reach our ears? Why do we have to hear the same song once every hour when the diversity of GOOD music is right under your noses?

Well, this could go on but I really want to know why other artists aren't banned for their alleged illegal activities? I KNOW no one at a radio station will respond and I'm cool with that but don't get righteous for a week and then return to your old ways again.

Why I Hate Queens

There is an article in today's NY Daily News that pits Brooklyn and Queens against each other as the top borough to produce Hip Hop artists and I hated to see the fact that they didn't include The Home of Hip-Hop, The Bronx, but then again, I can't be mad. I am a staunch defender of my home borough to the death but I also have to give props where props are due. We've produced the likes of Kool Herc, Afrika Bambataa, KRS-One, Fat Joe, Big Pun and countless others, but the impact and the amount of Hip Hop artists that have made a commercial impact has come from the borough of Queens. Maybe it's because of the size of Queens or maybe it's the water that's generated the amount of successful artists from that borough. Either way, i hate to admit it, but Queens has it locked when it comes to the achievements that the rappers that have hailed from that borough have accomplished!

People make some great points when saying that Brooklyn has the best lyricists and I may have to agree with them on that. you can't front on MC Lyte, Jay-Z, Big Daddy Kane, Biggie, Talib Kweli and many others that would put to shame any artists that would try to go word for word with them. But, the commercial success of such artists as LL Cool J, Run-DMC, 50 Cent,, Nas, Ja Rule and A Tribe Called Quest can't and shouldn't be denied, even by a strictly Bronx Hip-Hop, transplanted Harlem head!

Why African American?

Ever since I was younger, I never really considered myself an African-American, not because I am ashamed of my roots or origins, but I just never understood why we were called that and when I see my other friends of different backgrounds who live here as well, not being labeled in a similar fashion. It is rare, if ever, especially in the media, that Italians are referred to as Italian-American, Chinese as Chinese-American, Russians as Russian-American, Dominicans as Dominican-American, Whites as European-Americans, etc. Yet, Blacks are not referred to as Africans, unless, of course, you ARE from Africa. Yet, I constantly see African-American used as a description for Black Americans.

Why is that and what are your thoughts?

Who Is The Smartest Rapper?

At one time i would have named Will Smith, er, Fresh Prince, Queen Latifah, Jay Z or even Ice Cube. But after recent events, I'm going with 50 Cent. Despite the arrogance he displays at times, you can't deny that this man can and has capitalized off every situation (That we know of) that he is involved in! Whenever he is scheduled to release an album, he gets on his marketing and publicity grind. This man doesn't even really need a publicist, he does a splendid job all on his own!

Let me show you why I've come to the conclusion that Curtis Jackson is The Smartest Rapper. After being on Columbia Records and getting nowhere, he gets shot multiple times and lives, thus setting up a career that shows no sign of slowing down any time soon. 50 uses that to cement his 'legend' status immediately. His first 'official' debut, 'How to Rob', sets off some hurt feelings as he basically tells us how he would rob industry cats and even Jay-Z takes notice by saying this one line in one of his songs, 'I'm about a dollar, what the fuck is 50 Cent?' To me, this was one of the funniest rap songs recorded. If you've never heard the song, I suggest you find it. My only disappointment with that song is that he promised a sequel and yet, still no 'How To Rob 2'. I would LOVE to hear what 50 would say today!

Now 50 took a road that, although others before him tried, no one would have imagined having the impact that it did, which was the mixtape route. He built up his buzz to a point where he was recognized for his hustle and eventually signed by his 'favorite white boy', Eminem, thus also earning the backing and support of the elite Dr. Dre and the mighty Interscope Records.

50's first 'real' beef was with Ja Rule, who was riding a great wave of success at the time 50 started taking potshots at him and basically blaming Ja and Irv Gotti for him getting shot. 50, to this day, takes credit for Ja's 'downfall' because whenever he did go at Ja, he ended up taking whatever shine Ja had and stealing it from him. Ja Rule has not been the same since!

He uses the publicity machine of starting beef to gain the attention that no label or publicist can generate and get the buzz that it gets in preparation for his album dropping. Examples: Starting beef with Fat Joe and Nas, simply because they recorded a song with his arch-nemesis, Ja Rule. His beef with former G-Unit soldiers, The Game and recently, Young Buck, both, who coincidentally, didn't grow up or come up with 50 Cent as current soldiers, Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo. Taking steps to embarrass and humiliate former members of his crew is something he has perfected. The Cam'Ron beef that even had 50 causing whatever beef Cam was having with Dipset members, to escalate because of 50 cosigning Jim Jones. Of course, his current beef with Rick Ross and you see how far he is taking it and unless Rick Ross literally kills him, Rick is already at a loss!

And who can forget the most important and so far, the best marketing strategy 50 has utilized, the 'showdown' with Kanye West when both released their CDs on the same day and 50 threatening to retire if he is outsold by Kanye. In my opinion, he did both of them a favor by issuing the challenge and making people gain interest and choosing sides to generate even more sales than either one would have gotten if this 'plan' wasn't carried out.

And let's not forget the Vitamin Water investment and endorsement. Not saying he had any clue that Coca Cola was gonna buy the beverage company, but because of the financial stake he placed in the product, although the actual amount was never substantiated, he still walked off with many millions.

And who would have thought that ThisIs50.com would be as popular and relevant as it is today? The film company he has started, his own autobiographical movie and the fact that he has even beat his baby's mother's multi-million dollar lawsuit just proves that this man is either VERY lucky or a smart rapper, businessman, person.

Hate him or love him, this man IS a very smart one!

New York Has Gotten Soft!!!

OK, I am a lifelong New Yorker, spent my whole life here (I mean, I DO live in Jersey but I am a step away from tripping into New York! I'm so close that if I sneeze, I'll be in Manhattan!) and have watched the city change in SO many ways! I want to bring up the frigid weather we are experiencing right now and to the people who are complaining about it. DEAL WITH IT!!!!

I know there are many transplanted New Yorkers who came from warmer climates or are used to better weather, but you CAME to New York at a time where global warming has DEFINITELY had an effect here! The cold air we are having today was the NORM 20, 30 years ago. This was NOTHING compared to the cold weather back in the days, when it hit the teens with wind chill factors of below zero. You know what we did back then, we DEALT WITH IT! Layers, thermal underwear, multiple socks, whatever it took to keep the body heat in, we did it, So for the current New Yorkers, STOP BITCHIN'! In fact, BE HAPPY! I would rather it be bone chilling cold now so that way come March, April, it will be warm! History (or at least memory) shows that when the winter is warm, we have a cool spring. FUCK THAT! I want it to be so cold now that when the calendar, well, particularly, my birthday (March 28th), comes around, it is in the 60s and 70s and everyone has spring fever!!

So, to all you transplanted or young New Yorkers, SHUT YOUR TRAP! You are in New York now, BE a New Yorker and stop bitchin' about this thing called winter.....

The Change We Expected.....

Now we do know that President Barack Obama is still considered a new politician in terms of experience and this was one factor his critics and opponents have tried to use against him with failure. We also know that he has talked about change on every level and the combination of Ex-President George Bush's reign and the promise of a new America were the primary reasons for the country to vote for the current president. We also know that there are many people waiting in the background and in the forefront for President Barack Obama to slip up or make mistakes and that should be expected. But with yesterday's news that two of his nominees withdrew their nominations because of past, unrevealed tax problems, his detractors jumped at the chance to fault him for picking former South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle and Nancy Killefer. To me, this is the equivalent of me having a son and meeting a young woman, dating her for several weeks, never disclosing my son and then her finding out later on that I do have a son and her being shocked, surprised and maybe even angered that I chose not to disclose an important piece of information like that.

Now, instead of taking the easy way out by saying he had no clue and that neither one of them disclosed this information to President Obama, he basically took blame for it by saying he screwed up. Now how often does a politician, who basically had an excuse to use, took full responsibility for the mistake? Although his critics claim he is showing his lack of experience, I feel he is doing exactly what he said he would bring and that's change. It's commendable that this man would state that he is at fault when he could have said his vetters and colleagues were the ones that made the error.

I hope, like most people, that his mistakes are few but the man IS human and I am proud of the fact that he is showing the world that we should take responsibility for our actions.

Fear Of A Black Planet?

Is this the start or should I say, the continuation of the world actually changing? Or at least in the United States....

On January 20th, 2009, The United States of America inaugurated its first Black President of The United States, Barack Obama and it drew the biggest crowd EVER to witness the coronation and parties were held EVERYWHERE to celebrate the accomplishment! I was even more proud that there were no reported violence or foolishness anywhere near the nation's capitol!

10 days later, on January 30th, 2009, The Republican Party, which hasn't exactly catered to Blacks in recent years, selected Mike Tyson's former brother-in-law (Bet most of you didn't know that!), Micheal Steele, as the Chairman of the Republican National Committee. I am hoping his selection was NOT based on the fact that he is Black, but because he is the right man for the position.

And then yesterday, The Pittsburgh Steelers won a record 6th Super Bowl and did so with a Black Head Coach, Mike Tomlin. Hopefully, the 'Ole Boy Network' will realize that Blacks are not only talented players, but are also talented leaders as coaches, managers and presidents and general managers of professional sports teams!

Who IS BIG CED?

And why does he feel he needs ANOTHER damn blog?!?!?!?

Good question! For those who know me, know I am a very open-minded and very opinionated person who is not afraid to speak my mind. I've made my mark on the internet when most people didn't even have computers yet. Shit, there were no such thing as blogs when I was doing it up on the internet! But, enough of going back, moving forward, I have felt the need to get back my voice via a blog. Yes, I do own and operate The Industry Cosign (www.theindustrycosign.com), but that site isn't and never will be about me. This blog is ALL ABOUT ME and what I have to say, write, discuss, bitch about, etc.

I do hope you enjoy reading what I have to write because I guarantee that you will enjoy it or at least get something out of reading this.

WARNING! IT'S ABOUT TO GET UGLY!!!!!!