Jarrett-Carter.com

A sure sign that the people running the now defunct VIBE Magazine were in over their heads: magazine founder Quincy Jones is working to get it back, and put it in the place where it belonged since 2002; totally online.

‘ “I’m trying to buy my magazine back now,” Jones told EbonyJet.com just moments ago during a telephone call to Jones’ London abode. “They just messed my magazine all up, but I’m gonna get it back. You better believe it, I’m’a take it online because print and all that stuff is over.”’

How silly is it that a multi-million dollar magazine couldn’t figure out that they were smack in the middle of two cultural homicides; the death of print media and hip-hop music. Even Q, the great visionary, can’t resuscitate VIBE with his magic touch; but what he can do is reconnect the cultural brand with trusted caretakers. Bloggers, or a social networking component, would be the only way this thing could have enough credibility to survive and attract web advertisers.

*BONUS* – A look at the final hours from the inside. Thanks for the heads up.

It’s amazing how some white folks honestly look at a situation, and couldn’t possibly see a racist connotation. Such is the case with Transformers 2 and the addition of two jive-talking Autobots, Mudflap and Skids.

Apparently, alien cars also face racial and class warfare?

What does it take for artists of all kinds to look at a situation that may be funny at face value, but after it’s done and they’ve thought about it, they think, “Yeah, I hope people let that go over.” An even better question, will Tyrese Gibson man up and speak about this racist noise, or get another tattoo in silent protest?

Outstanding article from the folks at Black Web 2.0, who documents BET’s outstanding leverage of Twitter in conjunction with last night’s BET Awards.

Unfortunately, racist white folks believe that it’s funny to publicly demean BET-related trending topics on the social media site, and decided to get angry. (Photos from Black Web 2.0.)

Do we get angry when ya’ll Tweet about Lindsay Lohan? No. Do we go ballistic when when ya’ll are all wrapped up in Jon and Kate? No, we don’t. And in other news, a whole bunch of white folks had to be tweeting the same topics for the BET Awards for them to make trending topics. Not opinion, just a fact; you all have way more computers than we do.

I don’t have enough faith in my own writing ability or the length of my lifetime to adequately capture what Michael Jackson’s death means to the globe, because that’s what this is about- the death of a global figure.

I will say this, as someone who grew up in the beginning stages and the full throes of his universal appeal, I can firmly say that Michael Jackson’s legacy and full measure are in the effect he had on the world. Men and women fainted over Michael Jackson; and not just in Gary, Indiana or Harlem of Los Angeles; but in Austria, New Zealand, Russia, Brazil. In every corner of this planet, people adored this man’s talent.

He was a philanthropist and advocate for the least of humanity. Picture a televised global initiative to combat hunger, poverty, violence or any other plague upon humanity, and then count the times Michael Jackson’s name or image or talent was attached to it.

Musically, he was a force of transformation. Not only of genres, but in how people consumed genres. Quincy Jones has as much to do with that as Michael did, but still; somebody had to sell it.

Basically, everything this dude did was for the world to witness and enjoy. I can see LeBron James doing the same thing for basketball, and that’s scary. Most people who were born for the world’s adoration often lead tortured and reclusive lives. Aside from the Pope, there aren’t many who find themselves as figures of global importance without demons surrounding them at every side.

And we know all too well about the demons that surrounded Jackson throughout the entirety of his life.

If you remember Michael Jackson for things besides his innovation as an artist, his work for the betterment of the world, and the role he played in your individual music appreciation, remember that your feelings are no different from billions of people around the world on this day.

And that is the truest testament to Michael Jackson’s greatness. In a world of so much difference and fear of those differences, he’s one person – one entity – we all could stop and agree on.

This appears to be a little old; the references to Andy Reid give it away. But the next time you think you have something bad to say about Terrell Owens, let me suggest that you take it up with the Lord first.

H/T – Ezoox

A poll has confirmed what most people in America knew that magical night in November 2008:

Black folks and white folks still aren’t going to get along.

The election of Barack Obama, at its roots, is exactly what it should’ve been, and not the magical event that would impair the calamity of racism in the United States. It was the election of a guy who made the best case to become the president, and achieved his goal in spite of the historical connotations of his race. All of us, myself included, looked towards a new horizon of hope and tranquility in the after-glow of the election, and even after the inauguration.

But the dust has settled, the bourbon and Bibles have been safely tucked away for another racially dividing moment in history, and now we’re back to the business of mistrusting each other because of our differences.

Early on in his campaign, many blacks toyed with the idea of not voting for Obama for fear that he would be assassinated. Luckily, in his wisdom, Obama never gave stage to fears, threats or the vile musings of racists too stupid to know better, but smart enough to try and test the Secret Service and millions of black folks ready for something to pop off.

Less than a year into his tenure, we’ve seen some impressive changes and await more. He hasn’t had the time to focus on the trivialities of people not getting along; not when soldiers are dying and families are being tossed out of their houses. I’m sure he’s hoping that we will attend to those matters in his stead.

But we won’t; at least, not the sector of the American public born before 1990. Up until the 80’s babies, there was an is a semblance of black and white pride that created the healthy fragmentation of the American conscience. Until the 80’s babies grow up and get to old to talk that same old, “What about us” talk, the divide will continue.

But oh, those glorious 90’s babies. Where generations before were consumed with differences, they will be consumed with selfishness and immediate self-indulgence. They will want success and happiness too fast to be preoccupied with someone who doesn’t look like them. Their culture is blended already; they share fashion and music sense, they share social networking experiences that transcend oceans, and they will all be broke.

And that’s really where the cure for racism lies; everyone being broke. The end of haves and have-nots will usher in a new way of trusting in each other, working with each other, and doing for each other.

The best thing that you can say about President Obama, aside from his intellect and connection with his constituents, is that he is the truest symbol of America’s promise. For minorities of all kinds, he has shown that hard work and good timing can truly pay off in this country. For white folks, he has shown that minorities are more than what popular culture makes us out to be. That we can be sensitive, funny and thoughtful without the prism of dramatization.

So, hurry up iGeneration; you’ve got a tall order to fill, and Twitter only has but so much bandwidth.

Every now and then, you’ll meet some black folks who are simply oppositional and antagonistic just because. Everybody in the world likes Beyonce’, but this coon says she ain’t Aretha.

Everybody in the world hates Kobe, but this coon says he’s on par with Michael Jordan.

Everybody on the Supreme Court says that the essence of the Voting Rights act should be upheld, guess which coon says racism is over?

Read the rest of this entry »

Courtesy of the vilest of all sports blogs, here is the autotune mix to some of sports’ greatest press conference tirades

Kanye West and T-Pain are not amused.

Word on the street and throughout the Internets is that will.i.am of the Black Eyes Peas duffed Hilton in Toronto last night, and if you check the audio of this video, you’ll know why.

There are very few places I have traveled where a man can call another man any kind of name and not expect some drama on the tail end of it.

Now, people are going to wake up saying that no one deserves to be attacked, violence is always unnecessary, and all of that. Those people need to know that there are a few buzzwords in this global culture that can set someone off. Racial, religious, sexual and cultural words that, when most people dare to let them burn from mouth to ear, can expect a good chin check in response.

Hilton has made a career out of violating people’s privacy, and for that, he should be a regular recipient of five across the eye. He has mocked people, and attempted to out people with or without their public or private consent. His most recent victim was Adam Lambert, whom he basically shoved out of the closet before his last note was belted on American Idol.

I guess he attempted to do the same to will.i.am after a tense discussion in Toronto, and I guess for thinking he was a celebrity or someone above reproach, he got socked in the face. He got exactly what he deserved; the physical manifestation of that which has brought him infamy and fortune in a brave new world of citizen journalism.

Honestly, I hope it inspires more people to punch him in the face on sight. I hope that Hilton is able to learn a lesson from publicly attacking people for money and fun, and the harshest way possible. People’s sexuality and family life is all their own, even in celebrity. Hilton and his readers, despite their elitist and selfish beliefs, are not entitled to know the “truth” about anybody but themselves. It’s highly likely that because they struggle with their own internal truths, the ultimate salve is the humiliation and embarrassment of somebody more important than themselves, at least in the pantheon of pop culture.

You call somebody a name on a blog, you get page hits. You call somebody a name in the streets, you get face hits. If Hilton is as honest and as real as he claims to be, he should be willing to stick his jaw out for his words as much as he is willing to stick his hand out for advertising dollars.

Courtesy of FamousDC, its the top ten political sex scandals of the last decade.

You can forgive them for excluding Clinton-Lewinsky when you see where Marion Barry’s scandal falls.