J & J. Rundown: You Have The Right To Remain Silent
Month: March 2009
Music In Ya Ear!: Bow Wow featuring Johnta Austin – “You Can Get It All”
Video of the Day!: Bow Wow featuring Johnta Austin – “You Can Get It All”
Official Music Video for Bow Wow “You Can Get It All” featuring Johnta Austin off of New Jack City II coming out on March 31st.
Source: YouTube
“This jam is hot!”
J & J. Rundown: Love Is In The Air or Not?!
J & J. Rundown: Most Talked About Launches of The Week!
Tune In: Keri Hilson & Lil Wayne on Jimmy Kimmel
Keri Hilson’s world has been pretty damn perfect this week. She finally released her highly anticipated debut album “In A Perfect World”… to mostly positive reviews, she premiered a scotching hot new video for her next single “Knock You Down” with Ne-Yo and Kanye West and her current single, “Turnin’ Me On” slowly rising to the top of the Billboard charts at #15 on the Billboard Hot 100.
To keep the momentum high, Keri Hilson and Lil Wayne turned out “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on Friday. The “Turnin’ Me On” performance was taped when Wayne was a guest on the show earlier this month. Keri also sang “Energy,” check out the videos below.
Video: “Turnin’ Me On” on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Video: “Energy” on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Source: Neon Limelight/Rap-Up/YouTube
“Don’t forget to grab your copy of Keri’s banging new album ‘In A Perfect World’ in stores now. It’s Straight Fire!!”
Just In: 50 Cent not the “Real Blogger” on his Twitter?
50 Cent has no involvement in the Twitter.com account set up in his name, according to the rapper’s internet business manager.
The “In Da Club” hit maker, real name Curtis Jackson, recently appeared to have joined the throng of celebrities who use the social networking site to keep fans updated on their every movement.
But the hip-hop star’s online business manager, Chris ‘Broadway’ Romero, admits 50 has nothing to do with the page – all the posts are written by him.
However, Romero insists the messages are all written in the spirit of the rap superstar, as he takes quotes from 50 Cent magazine interviews and posts them directly onto the site.
Romero confesses to the New York Times, “He (50 Cent) doesn’t actually use Twitter. But the energy of it is all him.”
Source: Hollywood TV
“Your thoughts on this? This may be very upsetting to his followers if in fact it’s true.”
Tough Times: Marc Ecko in Debt!
Marc Ecko is really struggling through this economic downfall. His financial records have come forth stating his company is nearly $200 million in debt.
In an attempt to begin re-payment on two loans, Ecko has reportedly resorted to refinancing officials.
Ecko has hired investment bank Peter J. Solomon to help refinance at least $170 million in debt. The debts are owed to a couple of important business partners. If he can’t find a willing lender, Ecko may have to sell off some assets. Like many fashion outfits, the Marc Ecko brand took a hit during the past retail season. Sources say the company owes more than $100 million to Li & Fung, a global trading company that helps manufacture Marc Ecko products. He also also defaulted on a term loan of more than $70 million from a syndicate led by commercial-lending giant CIT and although he won forbearance on the loan, CIT will have to be paid by summer. (Luxist)
An Ecko rep has confirmed the allegations and weighed in on the designer’s plans of action.
“We’re pretty confident that this isn’t an issue that’s life-threatening at all,” Michael Golden, chief marketing officer at Marc Ecko Enterprises, said. “In our case, we have more than enough assets to pay off that term loan, and we have more than enough time.” Golden characterizes the $100 million due to Li & Fung as “normal trade payables” that fluctuate with seasonal inventory. And while he admits that “some businesses are doing better than others,” Golden noted strength in the company’s licensing and international units. (New York Post)
Source: Upscale Swagger
“Now I know why there hasn’t been any change on the opening of his store in Times Square. The construction for the building of the new store just stopped or I should say it never really started building.”
Touring It Up: Beyoncé Kicks Off Tour
Beyoncé kicked off the first show from her I Am… tour in Canada at Edmonton’s Rexall Place by covering songs by two Canadian artists. B rocked out to Alanis Morissette’s “You Oughta Know” (avoiding the f-word) and sang an a cappella version of Sarah McLachlan’s “Angel” in a white wedding dress, below.
According to Sources…
EDMONTON – When it comes to Beyoncé, Edmontonians should perhaps consider themselves very lucky.
Lucky that the superstar even decided to grace an Edmonton stage again after her last turn at Rexall Place in 2007 only drew a crowd of 7,800 people, but even luckier that Beyoncé would actually launch her brand new tour supporting her latest album, I Am … Sasha Fierce, in the City of Champions.
Whether it was a momentous occasion or just an opportunity to test out the show and work out the kinks in front of a “modest” audience – because, once again, only 8,000 fans turned out – will be left for those that attended to decide.
If Beyonce’s first outing on her I Am … tour was no major disappointment, it was still a somewhat muddled affair, one that didn’t really clear up where the line between Beyonce and her supposed “alter ego” Sasha Fierce is drawn.
If Beyonce is the soft-spoken side and Sasha is the brazenly hyper-confident persona, the whole concept never really spread its wings properly Thursday night at Rexall.
Others are saying….
According to reports, the Canadian kick off stop was being used as “paid rehearsals.” The media wasn’t allowed to take pictures and weren’t provided with review tickets, but that didn’t stop editors from supplying writers with tickets at their own cost to attend and review.
And the reviews are glowing. Jam! Showbiz writes: “As with her tour in 2007, there was also the extra-large all-girl band, the phalanx of backup dancers drilled in the latest artful choreography, songs spanning a remarkable career – solo and with Destiny’s Child – in a wide range of musical styles, not to mention a remarkable vocal range, and of course the riveting presence of the star herself.”
The press may not have been allowed to photograph or film, but the good fans are always reliable.
As a treat for fans who will have to patiently wait their turn to see the fierce one live, some sweet drawings of her daring stage costumes were revealed.
The fab creations were constructed by designer Thierry Mugler to represent Bey’s “duality between being a woman and a warrior.”
Mugler is also responsible for the figure enhancing dress which seemingly caused a stir over Beyonce’s weight –though, we didn’t notice any unusually heated backlash.
You can keep up with tour updates by following the I Am… tour’s tweets on Twitter.
Check out some video from the first stop.
Watch: Sweet Dreams
Video: “You Oughta Know”
Video: In the Arms of An Angel
Source: YouTube/Neon Limelight/Rap-Up
“Your thoughts on her outfits?”
Dear Diary: Open Letter to Chris Brown
I came across a blog today called a “Diary of a Black Male Feminist: New Black Masculinity.” The author wrote an article called Open Letter to Chris Brown. I must say that it was so inspiring that I felt I should share with you all. So here it is a s follows…
Dear Mr. Brown,
You are standing at a crossroad of your life. One that many men have come. One that I had been. You joined (probably a long time ago) the ranks of men who have abused women. I wish I could tell you that I wasn’t part of the group but I am. Like most men, the cornerstone of my pride was based on my sexuality and physical toughness. There were times in my life where I felt humiliated for not being violent or abusive. I felt like the only way to wipe out the humiliation was to be violent and abusive. My crossroad came when a person came into my life and shook me to the core. This person started the deconstruction of my male belief system and 20 years later am I continuing that work. I was stuck in this “man prison” because my definition of masculinity was limited. Once I alleviated both perceived and real peer pressure that motivated me to engage in physical and sexual aggression to affirm my masculinity I was free. I hope this letter gives you some of the same freedom.
I took great pride in being labeled a “ladies man”. I was more interested in conquering women for sexual use than in the sensuality of the sexual experience. I regarded sexual experiences as conquests and often achieved these through conning. Just because I didn’t use force or coercion doesn’t make my abuse any more or less significant or vile. My interest had been in sex objects for my use and not as sexual partners. What I learned and what I hope you learn is that your behavior was terrible but you are not terrible. The second is that abuse is never good. Whether it is insults, shoving your partner, undermining confidence, or making slurs. I don’t limit my definition of abuse as just physical. It is all abuse.
My crossroad came unexpectedly. During my college years, there was a woman that every guy was interested in but none seemed to good enough for her. Let’s call her Marie. Of course, she became the object of my desire. I could do what no other guy could. I never talked to her. Instead I talked to her friends, did things for them, was available to them. I knew they would get around to telling her what a “nice guy” I was. You see, at the time I had the equipment to be involved in an adult relationship but I did not have the maturity, probably just like you. Eventually, we talked and I gained her trust. So much so that she told me intimate secrets of her life. Slowly she told me more and more. I eventually gained so much of her trust that she told me that she wanted to be intimate with me but there was something she had to tell me first. On the cusp of what I felt like I “worked” so hard for, what could have been that bad? I played the game and was about to win. Well, Marie told me that at her previous university she was ganged raped. I never have had a lower moment. I came face to face with who I really was. Marie loved me for who she thought I was. It was definitely someone I could be. Was it someone I wanted to be? My answer was yes. At that moment, I knew I needed a new soul or at least some major work on the one I had. The range of emotions that she went through that I had ignored for such a long time made sense to me now. One moment she was like a scared child, the next she was confident. One moment she wanted me right next to her, the next she couldn’t get away from me fast enough. This wasn’t day to day. This was minute to minute. I realized I had come close to abusing her even worse than the guys that gang raped her. I was no better than them. I had been using my penis as a weapon. Inflicting damage without thought of any consequences on others. I was always told what I was doing was part of being a man. It was game. I was playa. But if this was a game, how come I didn’t feel like a winner? I started going to domestic violence groups and eventually became an operator on a domestic violence hotline. I showed new female students areas on campus that had blue lights where phones were located for emergencies? Why would anyone need protection from winners? I realized I wasn’t a playa, I was jerk (to say it lightly). I began to do Women Self Defense workshops. Marie was proud of what I was doing but I had to share with her my most intimate secret. I wasn’t who I presented to be. I detailed my sexual history. I told her the extent of my search for sexual power, the ways I conducted that quest, the purpose it served, and the effect on others. She hugged me and said “Thank you”. She asked me to do her a favor. She asked me “Can you teach boys not to abuse women?”. Another enlightening moment. I was doing everything backwards. I was trying to teach women how not to get abused instead of teaching young men not to abuse.
I’m reaching out to you to do the same. Here are some of my recommendations where you could start. Because like myself, I think you have some work to do if you are truly sincere about not doing this again. Don’t allow your guilt and shame to ward off confusion, tears, tenderness, sorrow, and love. When we allow ourselves these feelings, the women and children in our lives may be able to feel a commonality and closeness with us, rather than feeling driven by us. I had to be comfortable not being in control, being patient, listening, offering advice, being of service- if power and control are essential to who we are, these will always be alien. But if we want love and connectedness, rich relationships with women, children, other men and ourselves…you have to be open to these. I had to do was develop a self disgust for the very behavior that I thought defined me. I had to look at the damage I inflicted on the life of others. That took me dropping the excuses (i.e. it was her choice, its all part of the game). Friends and family may even try to excuse your behavior (i.e. she started it, you didn’t plan on being abusive, you didn’t really mean it). Don’t accept the excuses. Look at your behavior for what it is. Divorce yourself from the image of playboy/ ladies man. The longer you hold onto that image the further away you get from stopping your behavior. That means getting away from your songs you have been so used to producing. It means divorcing yourself from the artists that produce music that encourages the behavior. It means possibly losing endorsements, money, and friends but it is an essential part of your healing process. Keep checking yourself. Make sure you are always aware of thoughts, feelings, and beliefs that encourage your old behavior. Intervene in the patterns and continually fight old ways. Use your music as a sounding board for the survivors of violence against women. Use it to help with the healing process for friends and survivors and to raise society’s awareness of the extent of the problem of violence against women. Lastly, confront men in the absence of women. Confront the attitudes when you are not on camera. Let people know this is the new you and not someone trying to reduce their sentence or come back into good graces. There are people out there who are willing to help and support you. This is only the beginning. Be well.
Source:lrwebb
“Your Thoughts?”
Wedding Bliss: Nelly And Ashanti Getting Married?
R&B singer Ashanti has hinted she will marry Nelly in 2009.
Just four months after going public with their four-year romance, Ashanti has confessed she is planning to walk down the aisle with Nelly.
When asked by Us Weekly if wedding bells were on the horizon , the singer said: “Absolutely. It’s in the cards for me. I believe that I have a couple more things I need to do before that happens.”
Source: Hello Beautiful
“I wish them the best.”
JNEL & J. Magazine 