Ain't this some...

B.E.T. has a new realty show called "Tiny and Toya" featuring T.I.'s wife and Lil' Wayne's ex-wife. Let the coonery begin...

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Auto-Tune R.I.P.?

Jay-Z drops a new single from his new "Blueprint 3" album entitled "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune.)" Here he discusses the track with Hot 97's Funkmaster Flex and Mister Cee.

Blade Gets Played : Wesley Snipes Sentenced to Three Years in Prison

Black celebrities have certain rules that must be obeyed. Rule Number One is, thou shall pay thou taxes! (Rule Number Two is, thou shall not choke dogs, subject them to UFC-style fighting, or string them up like pinatas-but that's a post for another day.) Brother Wesley Snipes violated Rule Number One and must now pay the price.

On April, 24 2008, 45 year old Wesley Snipes received a 3-year prison sentence for tax evasion. Apparently, Mr. Snipes did not file any federal tax returns from 1999 through 2007. The sentence was the maximum that federal prosecutors were seeking.

Now, I'm not going to suggest that Wesley Snipes should not have been punished in some manner. Tax evasion is a serious matter. Wesley made a serious error in judgment. Many individuals in this country, argue that the federal government's collection of income tax is illegal. I've met quite a few people that subscribe to the theory that there exists no constitutional basis for the IRS to collect income tax. I truly have no personal opinion on the issue, simply because I lack sufficient knowledge to formulate one. I do believe this; an average Joe making $30,000 a year might be able to slip through the federal system undetected by Big Brother IRS, but not an internationally known celebrity who has made millions as an actor in Hollywood. There is obviously a huge difference in the incomes of the average American worker, and a well known actor who has been working in movies since 1987. It is estimated that Wesley Snipes owes the IRS over $15 million dollars in payments. It's foolish to think that the federal government would overlook that amount of money. Wesley should have known better.

However, Wesley Snipes has no prior criminal record. Furthermore, at the hearing, he presented the court with checks that amounted to the sum of $5 million dollars. It can be argued that Wesley had recognized his error and fully intended to pay the money owed within a specified time frame. In 1990, the IRS handed country music singer Willie Nelson a bill for $16 million dollars for back taxes; yet he avoided prison and made arrangements with the IRS to settle. Conversely, U.S. District Judge William Terrell Hodges said Snipes exhibited a "history of contempt over a period of time" for U.S. tax laws and the prosecution publicly stated that they were seeking to "make an example" of the high-profile actor. Additionally, prosecutors accused the actor of "grandstanding" and argued that the $5 million dollars Snipes offered was only "a fraction of what he owes the Internal Revenue Service." When did "grandstanding" become a crime that can be prosecuted in the American legal system? Am I misunderstanding something about how our courts operate? While Wesley most certainly needs to be held accountable for his actions, the punishment should fit the crime. I believe that Wesley Snipes should be allowed to remain free so that he can work off his debt. It is fair for him to be punished...however, it is not fair for for the legal system to use his fame as a means to scare off would-be tax evaders.

Besides, I really wanted to see Blade 4!

What are your thoughts?

The Music, The Rhymes and The Styles : Happy 20th Birthday Yo! MTV Raps!

Damn, I miss Yo! MTV Raps. It is difficult for some of the younger Hip-Hop lovers to truly understand the impact that the show had on the culture. Today, Hip-Hop is everywhere. The movement has become firmly ingrained into the mainstream society. But in the mid-eighties, Hip-Hop was counterculture; it was underground. Hip-Hop was still in its infancy and there were very few music videos produced for rap acts. The only national outlet for rap videos at the time was Black Entertainment Television's popular Video Vibrations show. The program, which aired popular music videos by black artists, even had occasional weekly segments dedicated exclusively to rap music called Rap Week on Video Vibrations. While BET was the first to air rap videos, they did so sparingly. Furthermore, BET only played the videos; they did not embrace the artists or the culture. This changed in 1988 when Music Television introduced Yo! MTV Raps. The rest, as they say, is history.


It is ironic that MTV was responsible for creating the Hip-Hop music video revolution. The network, which began in 1981, had a history of rejecting music videos by black artists. In fact, the network simply ignored black music, and instead focused largely on the white rock audience. However, after Micheal Jackson, Prince and Lionel Richie broke the color barrier at the network, MTV eventually warmed up to black artists and began playing their videos. For Hip-Hop, the first video hit was Run DMC's "Walk This Way" which aired in 1986. MTV recognized the growing Hip-Hop movement and sought to capitalize on it. In 1988, MTV aired the pilot episode of a new Rap Music Video show called Yo! MTV Raps. The show, hosted by Run DMC, was one of the highest rated shows on the network. This would be followed by a saturday night weekly segment hosted by Fab Five Freddy, and months later would include a weeknight edition hosted by Doctor Dre and Ed Lover.

Where BET only played the videos, MTV showcased the culture of Hip-Hop. Hosts Doctor Dre and Ed Lover weren't just appealling to the culture; they were the culture. Also, in addition to their videos being played, the artists themselves got a chance to introduce themselves to the their fans. Because Doctor Dre and Ed Lover were a part of the culture and not detached observers, the show had a unique feel to it. The format of the show had an organic feel to it. Far from just an interview show, the program introduced Hip-Hop culture to the world. If you loved rap music, you had to see the show. As a fan, the show introduced you to the various personalities of Hip-Hop; how they spoke, how they grew up, how they dressed, so on and so forth. Some of the segments were filmed on location in recording studios and in various neighborhoods in which the artists lived. MTV recognized that the videos themselves were only one part of the growing Hip-Hop culture and that culture was now being broadcast to everyone from Boston to Budapest. Yo! MTV Raps introduced rap (and rappers) to a national audience.

Yo! MTV Raps aired for seven seasons (1988 to 1995). I am hesitant to mention any personal memories simply because I could go on forever. However, I will mention James Brown's appearance on the show and Fab Five Freddy interviewing N.W.A. in Compton as two of my favorite moments. In April of 2008, MTV will celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the show by changing its current Hip-Hop video program Sucker Free into Yo! MTV Raps for the entire month. The show will air classic rap videos and feature tributes by former hosts Ed Lover, Doctor Dre, Fab Five Freddy and various hip-hop artists.

Check out MTV.com and YouTube for classic Yo! MTV Raps footage.

Why I Love The Boondocks

Aaron McGruder is a genius. However, when an animated series uses the word "nigga" as freely as The Boondocks does, controversy is inevitable.

The Boondocks recently completed its second season on the mature-oriented Adult Swim block of programming on The Cartoon Network. For those who are unaware of the show, The Boondocks is based on Aaron McGruder's comic strip of the same name. The strip began running in newspapers in 1999 and provided a socio-satirical look at American culture and race issues. The TV-MA rated animated series premiered in November of 2005 and quickly became a hit on the Cartoon Network.

The Boondocks is a comedic examination of the Black experience. The show is black political satire at its finest. I became a fan of the show after watching the episode entitled "Guess Hoe's coming To Dinner" in which Granddad becomes infatuated with a young woman he meets at the grocery store-only to find out later that she is a prostitute! Despite many obvious signals, (such as her scant attire) Granddad is oblivious to the fact that she is a gold digging ho. Huey and Riley try desperately to convince Granddad that his new love (named Cristal) is no good. After a few dates, Cristal moves in with the family. Cristal's influence on Granddad is strong--until the family recieves a visit from Cristal's pimp named A Pimp Named Slickback. (Yes, his full name is A Pimp Named Slickback!)

Other favorite episodes of mine are "...Or Die Trying" and "Attack of the Killer Kung-Fu Wolf Bitch". "...Or Die Trying" sees Granddad, Huey, Riley, and Jazmine sneaking into the movie theater to see Soul Plane 2: The Blackjacking, while "Attack of the Killer Kung-Fu Wolf Bitch" finds Granddad trying to find love through online dating (with less-than desirable results).

The Boondocks is one of the funniest animated series ever. However, it is important to know that the show is satire. In satire, social or individual follies are ridiculed with the intent of bringing about improvement. Satire is meant to be funny, but wit and humor is used to highlight something that the creator strongly dissaproves of. With this in mind, each Boondocks episode reveals itself to be a potent dose of social commentary. Some of the issues explored in the series include : the current state of the Hip-Hop industry ("The Story of Gangstalicious"), the quality of black entertainment programming ("The Hunger Strike"), and the controversy over the use of the word "nigga" ("The S-Word").

Obviously, a show of this kind will create controversy. The Rev. Al Sharpton objected to an episode ("Return of The King") that shows The Rev. Martin Luther use "the n-word". While I am normally a supporter of Sharpton, he is wrong about the episode. I don't won't to spoil the episode for anyone who has not seen it, but the entire episode must be taken into context before judgement is passed. the episode places King in a post-911 American Society and examines how he might possibly view the current world, as well as how that world might view him and his non-violent philosophy. After watching the episode myself, I was left to ponder what King would think about the current state of Black America. Additional controversy for the series came in the form of two episodes that were banned from airing because of extreme criticisms of Black Entertainment Television and personal ridicule of BET executives. Both episodes paint BET executives in an unflattering light and takes jabs at them by insuiating that they use the network as a means "to destroy black people." (NOTE: Google "banned BET boondocks episodes" to find the episodes for viewing.)

The Boondocks is a show that you will either love or hate; there is no middle ground. If you don't understand that it is political and social commentary, you might be offended by the content of the show or just view it is a funny-ass black cartoon. However, if you "get it" and understand that it is satire, you will find an enjoyable, thought-provoking piece of art that challenges black folk to examine ourselves and the society in which we live in.