The Race to Nowhere: Chuck D on being “Black in America” (Hello CNN)

I am, Black in America. So when the “critically acclaimed” television special aired on CNN, I didn’t bother watching it. Whether the show was an hour, or three hours long, I felt that I’d more likely walk away from it with something taken away from me, than given to me. I live in Urban America. My parents and grandparents and so forth have lived in Urban America. To know it, you must live it, and I’m sorry, but interviewing those that do, then editing the footage to create dramatic television, isn’t official to me.

So what I wanted to do was sit down, face to face with an iconic face in Urban culture to not pose the question, “What does it mean to you, being black in America?” I wanted to breathe in and out, a natural conversation that would touch on the subject without a word towards it. So when I sat down with Chuck D, leader of the LEGENDARY (yes, legendary) Public Enemy, I knew that our conversation would walk us down a road less traveled; the realistic one.

These are Chuck D’s views, word for word
Being “Black in America” in 2009 means that we have no excuse for being tired. Being “Black in America” you should know that the cheapest price you could pay is attention. It also means that we must be as active with ourselves and understanding, as the President is right now. Let’s go further, being “Black in America” has introduced us to a lot of individualism. When you talk about being “Latino in America” there is still a collective in place, a team effort. When you talk about Latino’s, the men outnumber the boys. The men work together in abundance. “Black in America” maybe you’ll see in the entertainment business, 8 or 9 dudes working together, but even that has to be questioned. Are they really working together or are these 8 dudes securing the 1 dude that is really working? “Latino in America” if you see 12 dudes working, they are all working in a zone. They take lunch together and they are eating quietly. When that bell sounds, they are back working as a collective. When the weekend comes, they might pray together or watch their sons play soccer, together, raising their families together. You can’t beat that collective. Once upon a time, people used to laugh at the eight Latino’s crammed in a Caprice, but the point was that it was 8 of them rolling together. “Black in America” used to mirror that in the 60’s. You’d see 8 black men rolling up in a Cutlass, being that collective. Then it got to a point where those cats felt that they were moving on up, so they all got their own cars. Now you’ll have one dude in one car, another dude in another and they never meet. People are now quick to say that they don’t need anyone, but no man or woman is an island. Individualism is really eating at the core of Black America. It’s a big issue.

The Race to Nowhere: "Good Hair" My View, not a Review

Over the weekend, “Good Hair” a documentary by the comedic great, Chris Rock, hit theaters across America. Look, I haven’t watched the movie, at least not yet, maybe. Living in an urban area, I witness its message everyday. ‘Good Hair’ is something that many Americans strive for. Caucasian males use gel and spray, African-American males use pomades and oil sheen, Caucasian females color and straighten, African-American females get the works.

Those that are against the message would like to make it universal: African-American females aren’t the only ones that spend their time and money on having good hair days. Ladies, I understand your frustrations. Why must it be all about you, when Caucasian females, in one seating, can spend a few hundred dollars for their stylist to trim them up? Well it’s about you because Chris Rock has a daughter of your likeness that asked him a question that I’m sure hurt his soul, “daddy, why don’t I have good hair?”

I remember when there was a time that African-Americans, female (and male) straightened their hair to be accepted in “White America”. Those that have done so left a black eye on “Black America” that some are still irate about. In 2009, going beyond, the view on wanting ‘Good Hair’ has changed dramatically. Let’s start at the point that Rock wanted to make in this movie.

It is not as much that adults are making the decision to massage toxic chemicals into their hair and scalp to achieve manageable hair result. Now more than ever, young mothers are placing these same chemicals into their child’s hair, in some cases, their infant’s hair. You would think that it is obvious not to place hair extensions or toxic chemicals into your infants’ hair. Maybe what this movie will do is spark the necessary conversations needed to put together a manual on what a parent should and shouldn’t do in regards to hair health.

Some have complained that Chris didn’t touch on the movement of “natural” hair growth that is sweeping the nation. To me, the fact that he didn’t feature this movement should be message enough that it is not as strong or promoted as it should be. Little girls in urban areas, not even in their teens, walk through the city, hair full of extensions; hair styles that are not even fitting of their ages.

If hair makes the person, than it can also make a child seem older than they are. Take it a step further; if 9 and 10 year olds are walking around with their hair done in an adult style, the cycle has already begun for these little girls to put in hundreds of hours in a salon when they are of age. And sadly, the cycle has already begun for older boys, even men to approach them in an adult manner.

I applaud Chris Rock for placing his time and money behind releasing a film such as “Good Hair”. It is a must that the African-American community opens up as many forums as possible on this subject. Having “Good Hair” spills over into another social concern in itself.

The Race to Nowhere: Integrate, never Revolve

The mistake so many people make in taking relationships further, is revolving their entire life around their significant other rather than integrating their life with that person.

When revolving your life around someone, it is so easy to lose track the life you once lived, and the people that you've once held close. You'd often lose yourself and everything that your significant other once enjoyed about you.

What you should want to do is integrate this person into your life. This way you can study the level of interaction this person has within your lifestyle. It is ok to not agree on everything. However, if you are close to your family, and your significant other isn't, the possibilities of this person pulling you away from your family are pretty high.

So Integrate, and never Revolve...

The Race to Nowhere: Rihanna and her Beating Heart

Earlier this week, this photograph of Rihanna hit the internet like the placebo rockets that crashed into the moon in hopes of finding evidence of water. Rihanna just released her new single ‘Russian Roulette’ from the new album “Rated R” to drop in November. I will guess that this racy dominatrix laden masterpiece’s soul purpose was to shock everyone into being attentive of the Pop/Rock starlet.

Well it did the trick. You have our attention Rihanna. Many of us are awaiting your return, wondering if this project in some way is a comeback. Some of us are wondering if your past which was made public to the world, is behind you. Are you in control of your life now? Or an even tougher question, were you in control of your life in the first place? We know that there is a machine surrounding you, designed to push your brand at your discretion or your expense. That doesn’t mean that this photograph isn’t 100% you.

We see the eye patch Rihanna… the hole in it… similar to the scaring around your eye after “The Incident”. We see the barbed wire… computer generated or not… excruciating pain closing in on your fair skin, leaving bruise after filthy bruise. The fire in your hair Rihanna; the wavering innocence in your eyes. Maybe I’m reading into you too deeply. Or maybe, just maybe, there is an understanding here.

I wonder what success means to you. I wonder what love means to you. I wonder if the embarrassment has changed your views on life. I wonder if your life continue you, business as usual. I wish you luck, and I wish you an outfit that will bring mystery and protection to your outer and inner shell.

The Race to Nowhere: When Reality Blurs

Recently, the nation took a moment away from the failing economy (Dow Jones at 10,000+ isn’t impressive under the current climate) and the rifle toting citizens with anti-Obama posters at Town Hall meetings for Healthcare, to look up. And what we’ve found was an aluminum flying saucer speeding across the Colorado skies, supposedly holding a 6 year old child in it.

Parents, Richard and Mayumi Heene, looked on as their invention took on national attention after it was relayed to the authorities that their son, Falcon, may have climbed into the silver monstrosity to hide from his siblings. The family even took video of the lift off, in what many are now calling an Oscar winning performance when the father “suddenly” realized that Falcon, of all people to be floating in the air, was missing.

CNN and a long list of national stations covered the flight LIVE. People expressed their hopes and fears using social communities like Twitter and Facebook. The Heene Family had all eyes on them; apparently what they wanted.

Well the balloon landed in a field and presto, no child. The nation was relieved. Falcon was hiding in a cardboard box in the attic the entire time. He said on air that he heard his family calling for him, yet stayed where he was until (you’ve guessed it) the balloon landed.

Currently, the Heene Family is under investigation for allegedly staging the entire event, all thanks to Larry King and his efficient questioning of the family. During the show, Falcon said of his parents, “You guys said we did this for the show.” Of course they did…

The Heene Family was previously on the reality show “Wife Swap”. This was a sign in itself. What I believe that people fail to realize about reality shows is that if you aren’t coming into the opportunity with star power, your 15 minutes of fame can fizzle out immediately. You can’t go from being on national or cable television for 3 to 6 months, to working for Wal-Mart, for example. And pride has nothing to do with it.

When the season is over, your local community that recognizes you from the show will start out as admirers. They’ll want photographs and autographs. They’ll even want to introduce you to their friends and family. But after seeing you a few times, that admiration will turn into negative backwash. People will ask why you’re not a star by now. They’ll talk down on you and make you feel worse off than before you got on the show. And at that moment, you’ll do anything to get back on television… ANYTHING.

I have personally been weary of every reality show in existence. The odds of a non-talented cast member rising from relative obscurity to superstardom are slim to none. While talented cast members are forever linked to the show, living in the shadow of its high ratings. American Idol’s first winner, Kelly Clarkson has done every she possibly could to separate herself from the Idol brand. Yet, what she should do is hope that it doesn’t go off the air while she continues to bank on her “Idol” success. For if the ship goes down, her connection to it could suffer by association.

Yes, I am about to say it: If a Reality Show comes knocking, treat it the way Illegal Immigrants will treat Census workers when they come knocking… hide in the closet.

The Race to Nowhere: The Selfish Rant

We all have this type of friend. Who knows, you might be that friend. This is the person that you can't get one word in on during a conversation initiated by that person. They could care less about how your day was. As a matter of fact, you just might make a statement that he or she didn't hear at all.

Victims of "The Selfish Rant" are great listeners. As a matter of fact, these victims insist on the individual to talk about themselves; to get their feelings off their chest. Slowly but surely, the friend becomes the victim. Suddenly, a pick up of the phone leads right into cursing and complaining from the ranter. And this cycle will never end without the listener finding a slick way off the phone.

Dear Ranters:

How about you calm down some and care about somebody's day, other than your own. How about you shows some sincerity to the person that is giving you the time of day, and listen to them. Remember, conversations should be bilateral. Why should you and your feelings matter more than the person you confide in? You would think that because your friend is there for you, the least you could do is lend that person a caring ear. And not after you're done talking and ready to hop off the phone. Yes, you enjoy getting off the phone once the conversation is not about you.

You are lucky that your friend would still pick up the phone, knowing that you are about to gnaw their ear off with nonsense. Be a friend for once...

The Race to Nowhere: Keep it Sealed

We are now in the ‘Social Community Age’ where everything we do has the capability of going live to everybody that we know. Websites like Facebook and Twitter have ushered in a “Show and Tell” generation that knows no age, gender or ethnic background limits. And this generation of millions are spilling the beans and crying over spilled milk before an expanding audience.

What should this mean to you?

When people know your business, they will tell your business. A simple retweet (Twitter reference) of you exposing your soul to your friends, may turn into 20 retweets; and now, your business is everywhere without your consent. Let’s say that you just came back from an amazing trip and you wanted to keep it to yourself. However, the friend you went on the trip with just tagged photographs of that trip on Facebook for all of your friends to critique; your business is everywhere without your consent.

Once your business is in the hands of someone that has no attachments or obligations to it, they will freely release this information. And if you so happen to have mutual friends, this person just might spread your business, believing that your mutual friend already knows. These are the occurrences that could prove destructive to friendships and relationships alike. Think about it…

What would happen if your significant other comes to you about information that should’ve been confidential, yet word got back to them. You didn’t think that your good friend would tell their cousin your amazing story; then their cousin would release this information to their significant other; this person then tells her sister; who then talks to your significant other about it. Now you are in an argument stemming from your need to tell all. Yes, this issue would fall under ‘Trust’. And once a person feels like they can’t trust you with sensitive information, you will be closed off. What a way to destroy a relationship...

We have practically signed over our privacy to the digital world, telling people where we are, who we are with and what we are doing. We are sharing up-to-the-minute photographs and video without a second thought. Your photographs are just a right click away from being lifted, and your Youtube videos are just a shared link away from being syndicated. What ever happened to confidentiality?

No matter how bad you want to tell all, think about how this leak of the mouth would effect those around you. Honestly, in a society that promotes the distribution of all information at all times, the only suggestion that I could give is to keep it sealed. Be trustworthy...