Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Rapper Drake Sells Hard First Week

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, AOL Black Voices

I took a poll of some of my industry homies last week to get a sense of how"Thank Me Later," the debut album for Drake, was going to sell. It turns out that out of those bold enough to make a prediction, my friends Michael Bivins (formerly of Belle, Biv, Devoe and New Edition) and Vigalantee (a rapper in Kansas City, MO), were closest. Vigalantee predicted 450,000 units and Mike Biv predicted 400,000. No matter how you slice it, Drake is now officially the shizzle.

It's not as if anyone is surprised by Drake's stellar debut. He and the rest of the Young Money clique did an outstanding job creating buzz for the album and Drake proved that even in the age of massive Internet pirating, he can still make his money.

 

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Saturday, June 19, 2010

Tiger's Sex Scandals Cost him $25 Million

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Tiger Woods Sex Scandals Cost Him $25 Million in Endorsements




The Latest in Entertainment - 6/19/10




Monday, June 14, 2010

What are the Images of African American Women?

Dr Boyce Watkins Show - AOL Black Voices

Today I had the opportunity to speak with four interesting and empowered black women: Michaela Angela Davis(founding Editor of Vibe Magazine), Christina Mendez (well-known plus size model), Dr. Catrice Austin (owner of VIP Smiles, Celebrity dentist), and Alisha Crutchfield(celebrity stylist and Fashion Director for the Miss Universe pageant).

 

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Celeb News: Diddy's Son gets a $360K Car - Too Much?

by Dr Boyce Watkins

Some of us turned our heads to the side when it was reported that the rapper and businessman Diddy gave his son Justin a $360,000 Maybach automobile for his 16th birthday. People asked me what I thought about this, since I've written a great deal on how to teach your kids about money, and I used a three letter acronym: TAH - "Tacky As Hayell."
I respect Diddy and I apologize for having to lean in on him for this one, but as S Tia Brown and I discuss in our latest episode of Financial Lovemaking, you can find ways to show your children love without spoiling them for the rest of the world. By giving his son such an extraordinary gift at such an early age, Diddy may have minimized his son's ability to conceptualize the value of working hard for his success or empathizing with those who are less fortunate. In other words, receiving such overdoses of dopamine at the age of 16 is a sure-fire recipe for depression later in life.

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Sunday, June 13, 2010

Reggie Wayne, NFL Star - Mistress Takes Credit Cards

AOL Black Voices

NFL star Reggie Wayne is finding out the hard way that giving your credit card number out to anyone may not be such a good idea. Wayne, who is married, is suing his ummm, girlfriend Natasha McKenzie. In the affidavit, Wayne is alleging that McKenzie did it big on Wayne's credit card without asking his permission.


As the story goes, McKenzie, who is 26 years old, just needed Wayne's credit card for a "few little things," like paying her cell phone bill and buying a plane ticket. She was allegedly going to buy the ticket to come and visit Wayne to spend "quality time" with him. To Reggie's surprise, Natasha and her friends "got a little jiggy" with the credit card and charged up $95,000 worth of "necessities." Actually, there were 333 necessities on her list, which is the number of charges she allegedly made to the account.


Reggie originally took the charges to police in April. He has had the uncomfortable challenge of keeping this information from his wife. McKenzie claims that Wayne knew about the charges all along, and that she is only being scapegoated because either his wife found out about her or he has moved on to another mistress. Either way, this entire situation is a little bit strange. Wayne is not the only athlete to be taken for big money as the result of an affair. Tiger Woods allegedly paid millions to keep some of his mistresses quiet.

 

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Saturday, June 12, 2010

Police Caught Pepper Spraying Black Man for No Reason

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University

I am not quite sure what to make of the ruffled YouTube video that is now scouring the web out of Paterson, New Jersey. In the video, the woman filming, who mentions that her mother works in the sheriff's office, is taping a New Jersey police officer holding a black man to the ground. The man clearly has his hands behind his back and appears to be restrained.


As the woman videos the incident from a distance, the officer inexplicably grabs the man, turns him around and puts pepper spray into his eyes. He appears to do it twice.

 

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The Latest Black News - 6/12/10

Gary Coleman's Wife Continues to Be More and More Suspicious

Saturday, June 12th, 2010

I was saddened to see that 1980s icon Gary Coleman died just a few days ago. What's even sadder is that...
Keep Reading »

Alvin Greene is the Political Candidate that Everyone Knows All About

Saturday, June 12th, 2010

I've seen the media dance around the obvious when it comes to the peculiar candidacy of Alvin Greene, the South...
Keep Reading »

Rapper Nicki Minaj Gets Sued Over Payments on a Lamborghini

 

 

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Rapper Nicki Minaj Gets Sued Over a Pink Lambo

by Dr. Boyce Watkins

The rapper Nicki Minaj was sued this week over a pink Lamborghini that she rented for one of her videos. The company, Hollywood Exotic Car Rental, sued her for $12,000, alleging that the car was damaged and that the rental fee was not paid.


The car had been rented for $1,750 a day to shoot her "Massive Attack" music video, directed by Hype Williams.


The suit against Nicki Minaj was filed in LA Superior Court. The company alleges that the car was driven "off road" and that the damage amounted to $11,589.41. They also argue that Minaj didn't pay the three day rental fee on the car, which totaled $5,250.

 

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Your Black News 6/12/10

5 New Orleans Police Officers Charged In Fatal Post-Katrina Shooting

By Associated Press June 12, 2010 10:15 am

5 New Orleans Police Officers Charged In Fatal Post-Katrina Shooting

Read more about 5 New Orleans Police Officers Charged In Fatal Post-Katrina Shooting

TAGS: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, Police brutality

NATION

Deadline Nears For Haitians’ Deportation Reprieve

By Associated Press June 12, 2010 9:45 am

Deadline Nears For Haitians’ Deportation Reprieve

Read more about Deadline Nears For Haitians’ Deportation Reprieve

TAGS: haitian earthquake, immigration

NATION

Nevada Supreme Court Hears Appeal Of OJ Simpson Robbery Case

By Associated Press June 11, 2010 5:04 pm

Nevada Supreme Court Hears Appeal Of OJ Simpson Robbery Case

Read more about Nevada Supreme Court Hears Appeal Of OJ Simpson Robbery Case

TAGS: crime, O.J. Simpson

NATION

OPINION: Audit The Pentagon

By Casey Gane-McCalla June 11, 2010 4:43 pm

OPINION: Audit The Pentagon

Read more about OPINION: Audit The Pentagon

TAGS: Afghanistan, Halliburton, Iraq

NATION

Innocent Black Man Freed After 16 Years In Jail

By NewsOne Staff June 11, 2010 4:07 pm

Innocent Black Man Freed After 16 Years In Jail

Read more about Innocent Black Man Freed After 16 Years In Jail

TAGS: black man, Gun Violence, jail, Prison

NATION

15-Year-Old Brutally Beaten By Indianapolis Police

By Associated Press June 11, 2010 4:05 pm

15-Year-Old Brutally Beaten By Indianapolis Police

Read more about 15-Year-Old Brutally Beaten By Indianapolis Police

TAGS: Indianapolis, Police brutality

SPORTS

World Cup Opens On Joyous, Noisy Note

By Associated Press June 11, 2010 3:26 pm

World Cup Opens On Joyous, Noisy Note

Read more about World Cup Opens On Joyous, Noisy Note

TAGS: soccer, South Africa, World Cup

NATION

Video Takes Center Stage In Oscar Grant Trial

By Associated Press June 11, 2010 1:57 pm

Video Takes Center Stage In Oscar Grant Trial

Read more about Video Takes Center Stage In Oscar Grant Trial

TAGS: black men, California, Gun Violence, Los Angeles, Oscar Grant,Police brutality

TECHNOLOGY

FOLLOW FRIDAY: This Week’s Top 5 Black Celebrities To Follow On Twitter

By Samuel Aleshinloye June 11, 2010 1:38 pm

FOLLOW FRIDAY: This Week’s Top 5 Black Celebrities To Follow On Twitter

Read more about FOLLOW FRIDAY: This Week’s Top 5 Black Celebrities To Follow On Twitter

TAGS: Barack Obama, Marc Lamont Hill, Oprah Winfrey, P. Diddy, Rev. Run

NATION

Guilty Plea Expected In Post-Election Arson Of Black Church

By Associated Press June 11, 2010 1:26 pm

Guilty Plea Expected In Post-Election Arson Of Black Church

Read more about Guilty Plea Expected In Post-Election Arson Of Black Church

TAGS: Barack Obama, black churches, election, election 08, Massachusetts,Obama Haters

NATION

134-Year-Old Louisiana Oyster Company Forced To Close

By Associated Press June 11, 2010 1:07 pm

134-Year-Old Louisiana Oyster Company Forced To Close

Read more about 134-Year-Old Louisiana Oyster Company Forced To Close

TAGS: Alabama, black businesses, Gulf oil s




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Brian McKnight Ruled to Pay $341,000 for his 14-year old Child

by Dr. Boyce Watkins

It appears that the singer Brian McKnight is now a not-so-proud father. Well, the child isn't exactly a baby either. According to TMZ, the child is a 14-year old that Brian hasn't exactly claimed to be his own. Well, whether McKnight chooses to address the child as his own or not, a Florida judge has ruled that Brian must now take financial responsibility for the child. The amount owed? $341,640, which comes out to just over $2,000 per month for every month since the child was born.


The mother of the child, Miriam Lee, took Brian McKnight to court to establish paternity last year. Why she waited so long to do so is not clear. From this point on, the singer is responsible for making child support payments in the amount of $11,388 per month. The ruling was a default judgment, since McKnight was not in court and didn't respond to the woman's claim of paternity.

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Dr. Boyce speaks on the NBA and Obama

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NBA Gets High Marks for Diversity in Annual Report Card

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Obama's "Angry Black Man" Criticism: Isn't He Also Half White?

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CNN Asks Why Black Men Are Not Graduating From College

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Dwyane Wade Given Temporary Custody of His Sons

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Could LeBron James' Mother Rumors Push Him Out of Cleveland?

 

Slim Thug and his comments about black women continue to get the artist into trouble.  Is he going to lose big money because of this?




Thursday, June 10, 2010

Teenage Boy Gets Beaten by Police

The Latest

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Brandon Johnson: 15-Year Old Boy Beaten by Police in Indianapolis

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OJ Simpson Fights to Get a New Trial in Nevada

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Oscar Grant Trial Has No Black Jurors

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How To Fight Like A Celebrity!

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Around the Web -- Jay-Z in Rolling Stone, Drake Was Rihanna's 'Pawn'? + More

  • In his third Rolling Stone cover article, Jay-Z speaks on aging gracefully in a youth-oriented ... Read More
  • By Journey Ade on Jun 10th 2010 5:45PM | Comments (2)



No Black Jurors Chosen in Oscar Grant Case

by Dr. Boyce Watkins

On New Year's day of 2009, Oscar Grant was shot in Oakland, California. The shooter was a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) officer by the name of Johannes Mehserle. Grant was 22-years old at the time of his death, and the shooting was captured by cell phone cameras and disseminated throughout the Internet. Adding insult to injury, the Grant family just found that there will be no African American jurors in the trial of grant's shooter.


Jack Bryson, whose sons were with Grant the night he was killed, was angry about the jury selection.


"This is like a slap in the face," Bryson told The Associated Press. "This case came all the way to Los Angeles after the judge in Alameda County said they couldn't get a fair and impartial jury there.
"This is the best you can do, and you did this in two days. We could've stayed back in Oakland for this."

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Wednesday, June 9, 2010

The Globe Magazine Angers Todd Bridges Over Coleman Pictures

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, AOL Black Voices

There has been a great deal of public speculation of the role that Shannon Price,Gary Coleman's ex-wife, played in the actor's death. To make matters worse, some are wondering how The Globe Magazine got a hold of pictures of a dying Gary Coleman that are set to be released on Friday. Todd Bridges, who co-starred with Gary Coleman on the popular sit-com, "Diff'rent Strokes," was allowed to see the photos in advance of their being published. Bridges was not happy.

"It's horrible. It's absolutely horrible. And I hope that whoever is responsible for this, and the people that are involved in this, people that are in the pictures, I hope they burn in hell," said Bridges, when appearing to discuss the issue on Entertainment Tonight.
What was most shocking was that even TMZ, a place known for the dirtiest of dirty celebrity gossip, refused to publish the photos. The Globe Magazine apparently has no such standard. A representative of Shannon Price has stated that Shannon is "very hurt by the pictures getting out there." But the problem for Price is that she is actually in the pictures that were taken.

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Your News: Rapper Slim Thug Gets Public Lashing by Black Scholar

Marc Lamont Hill Responds to Slim Thug's Take on Black Women

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University

When I recently read the open letter to the rapper Slim Thug(pictured above), written by Columbia Professor Marc Lamont Hill (pictured below), I was concerned. I love "Slim Thugger" and his musical brilliance, but putting him in an intellectual toe-to-toe with one of the most brilliant young scholars in America is like puttingLennox Lewis in a boxing match with Beyonce. Marc is my boy, and incredibly sharp, and I would encourage him to pick on someone his own intellectual size. Simultaneously, I encourage Slim Thug to quietly walk away and shut up. He needs to stay in the booth and use his intellect for something other than ridiculous social commentary.
But Slim Thug asked for his public butt whooping, after engaging in one of the most feeble and misguided critiques of the African-American woman that I’ve heard in quite a while. Even for a rapper, he sounded as if he needed to be educated on what black women are all about. Here are Slim’s words, "straight out of the negro’s mouth":

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