Three Years Later: Remembering "The King of Pop"

Today marks a sad day, as if social media users will allow us to forget. It is the three year anniversary of the death of the King of Pop, Michael Joseph Jackson. I won't cap like I remembered the day. I remember birthdays not deathdays. Does that make sense? I'm not a fan of reminding a decedent's loved ones about the day they passed. I don't want anyone reminding me of the day my grandfather or my nephew passed. I can't imagine mourning and having people always reminding you of a day as tragic as this one was three years ago. I'm sure its a solemn day for his family, friends and fans. Instead of focusing on the day he passed, I want to celebrate the legacy of music he left behind. 


From ‘Got to Be There’ to ‘Invincible,’ Michael Jackson produced 13 No. 1 hits and earned 13 Grammys Awards. I have the some of the same favorites as many of you (PYT, Dirty Diana, and Smooth Criminal) but here are a few that might not trend on twitter today.  


1. Another Part of Me

2. Off The Wall

3. Will You Be There? 

4. Wanna Be Startin' Somethin

5. The Lady in My Life

7. Heartbreak Hotel

...and just because the song sends one of the most powerful messages EVER
8. Man in the Mirror

RIP Michael Jackson. There will never be another. 

MUSIC MONDAY: Stream MMG's "Self Made 2" Album

Miami has two kings. Lebron James is the king of the NBA and Rick Ross is the King of Grunts. Ross, along with his family at Maybach Music Group including DC native Wale, rising star Stalley, Omarion and club fight witness Meek Mills will be releasing their album "Self Made 2" tomorrow.  The 8th wonder of the world is the fact that the album hasn't already self destructed from all the swag.

Before you decide whether you're going to download it illegally buy it, check the live stream below.

The album features guest appearances from Nas, T.I., Wiz Khalifa and Roscoe Dash. I'm giving it an honest listen hoping "Bag of Money" isn't the best thang they could come up with.

In blank stare news, notorious eyebrow shaper Omarion has vowed to hold down his spot as an *air quotes* allegedly respected dancer.

*Ross Grunt*

WATCH THIS: The 2012 NBA Champs Miami Heat's Celebration Parade

HEAT nation stand up!!!
#KangJames, Chris Bosh, D-Wade and the rest of the Miami Heat players and their families are currently riding around the city of Miami in celebration of their 2012 NBA championship. Fans are lining the streets and the players are still basking in the glory of their victory. The city has literally been shut down in celebration of the hometown team. Watch it live below!

Thank goodness for technology! I can feel the energy from the crowd and it feels ahhh-mazing! Is anyone else on watch for another Bosh photo(LOL)? I'm kidding. Ok, I'm not kidding.

   As if we need another reason to celebrate them, lets not forget the Miami Heat stepped up for the "Am I suspicious" campaign to raise awareness about the tragic death of Florida teen Trayvon Martin. Congrats to the Miami Heat the 2012 NBA Champs! 

In case ya'll forgot, Lebron James was the MVP of the season and MVP of the finals series.

DC Gentrifiers: Cut the Christopher Columbus Act

How about those Miami Heat, tho? 

Stories of gentrification in DC have been shared via local, national and international news. Don't act like you're surprised to be reading about it. 


Before ya'll get your panties in a bunch, just know I chose to paint gentrifiers with a broad brush because I felt like it. I used the same paint brush people use to paint pictures suggesting only black people commit crimes. Is this a racial issue? Theres an elephant in the room who says it is. Share any concerns with my choice in the comment section. 


Don't bother trying to read between the lines and wondering where I'm going with this let me spell it out for you: Gentrifiers are too damned disrespectful. Yea, I just said that. Oh, you mad? 


Non-colored people have a history of hostile takeovers. How the hell did Christopher Columbus "discover" America when there were people already living here? In order for something to be discovered, it must first be lost. Columbus had the nerve to claim he discovered a place and then enslave the natives. Yea I just went there. Now, why would you expect anything different from Columbus' bloodline? Its what they do. By they, I mean "people who gentrify." By "people who gentrify" we all know I'm not talking about *my* people. 

I don't have a problem with gentrification. Gentrification brings resources. I'm all for having a new yoga studio, dry cleaner and fresh food market in my community. Crime is reduced. Parks are better maintained. Streets are clean. Empty lots are now bustling businesses. Restaurant options have improved. I like all of that. 

My issue is with crass gentrifiers: The people who come into an EXISTING neighborhood and act like they discovered it. Christopher Columbus. "Oh I found this cute little part of town the other day. They're building new high rise condos over there. All they need is a dog park and a yoga studio and it would be a perfect place for us to raise our family!" A lot of damn nonsense. 


In DC, gentrification has put lifelong African-Americans in competition with a population of affluent white and Hispanic  newcomers. It has left some African Americans feeling forced out and resentful. After some have lived in DC for three generations, they wonder whether they have a place in DC. Since gentrification was kicked into high gear the flavor of the city has slowly changed. DC is no longer "Chocolate City." The city lost its majority African American population for the first time in 2011-approximately 51 years after it became the first city to have a majority black population.
  
Gentrifiers move in with one message for current residents: You're in the way.  They treat existing residents  like they won't be around much longer. To hell with the retiree who has been living in the her house for over 50 years because it is in your best interests for her to sell. Nevermind existing churches, just start your own. Nevermind existing neighborhood customs, just create your own. None of the information about the existing is relevant beyond pointing out more things to change. They swoop in with a vision and a determination to stomp out anyone who gets in the way. Like I said, disrespectful. 


Instead of getting to know their neighbors, they look past them. Don't try to tell me I'm wrong.  I've seen the looks. I read the listserv bullsh*t.  I know what they're saying. Bunch of cowards hiding behind syntax, spelling errors and a caps lock. Those same cowards wouldn't make eye contact with me on the street. I've seen the talks of "us" vs "them." Don't try to come at me with your racism accusations and don't even think about telling me to cut the "my black is under attack" argument. Save it. Their attitude is NOT positive and it only fosters more tension. "It won't be much longer that I have to deal with these people." I like my neighborhood and I don't want the character of it to change. I like having a neighbor I can ask to house sit without it being awkward. I like having a neighbor who will remind me to move my car on street cleaning days. That is what a neighborhood is about.


"Where did all these white people come from?" I heard an old head ask that on U street the other day. I responded, "DC is a trendy and desirable city now and that means young hipsters are going to move in and shape the city to be how they like it." I could see the heartbreak in his eyes. DC is changing and he knows the changes won't help his people. 


The "target" for gentrification is almost always a traditionally African-American area. Areas like Columbia Heights, Adams Morgan, and U Street have fallen like dominoes in recent decades, with whites and Hispanics moving in. The next target? H Street. It has been cast as the next Georgetown. There are plans to spend absurd amounts of money building luxury amenities in the area while the education system continues to fail its students. Gentrifiers spend time praising the "changes" while the stories of the brown and black people they force out fall on deaf ears as "unwarranted complaints." 


Gentrifiers, listen up: I know some of you don't give a rat's ass about the awful reputation you have. I'm not talking to you. I'm talking to the people who still have a sense of compassion and decency. The people who were raised to "love thy neighbor." Isolating residents who were there when you "found" the  area is obnoxious. Improvements need to be inclusive. Instead of coming in and dubbing everything in the community inadequate, take time to learn the history behind the community. Changing a community "for the better" while making current residents feel inadequate to a point where they are forced out of their homes is unacceptable. 

Oh, You're STILL A Lebron Hater? Sucks for YOU ^___^!

Another post about Lebron and the Miami Heat? F*ckin right! 

Now that Lebron James and the Miami Heat are the 2012 NBA Champs after 5 games against the OKC Thunder, I *thought* haters would have something else to talk about. I thought wrong. For a second there I forgot what haters do: Hate no matter what. 

This time the hate backfired and motivated Lebron James to earn his throne and show the world why he is nicknamed The KANG! 

"He's not clutch."
"I will never be a fan of LeBRICK James."
"The Miami Heat belong to D-Wade."
"Lebron James is not a 4th quarter player."
"How can he be the King if he doesn't have a ring?" 
Say mashed potatoes and gravy. 

Whats the best way to silence a hater? WIN! Winning is what Lebron did and what he will continue to do. Even if he doesn't win another championship he will still be a winner. 

Lebron's finals demons have been exorcised and he deserves to be called the MVP of the finals and a CHAMPION. 

There are 3 things Lebron haters can't seem to stop saying...

3. "Skip Bayless said..." Lebron James haters' #1 source is Skip Bayless. He's the president of their pitiful ass Lebron Haters Club. They watch Skip Bayless everyday for pointers because they don't have an original thought in their brain. Their logic is "Skip Bayless said..." Skip tells the most 1/2 truths that are ever not the whole truth. Skip takes everything Lebron does out of context while sitting there filled with self-hatred and obvious jealousy. He's made a career out of hating the current best player in the game. Who do you think allowed him to build his career solely off of his feelings towards Lebron James?  People with miserable lives who need someone like Skip Bayless to validate their unfounded hate. I'm lookin at you, Lebron haters. Stop playing yourselves. 

2. "You're a bandwagon fan." Every year for basketball and football (I don't watch baseball), fans of the favored team are accused of being bandwagon riders. "If you weren't a (insert team name here) in 1995 and you're  fan now, you're not a real (insert team name here) fan. FOH with that! Calling someone a bandwagon fan is a cheap shot. Its an easy way to get them to justify their fan-dom. Thats how you have people claiming they were fans since they were kids. If you can't reach the player with your hate, go after the player's fans. So original. If I were a betting woman I would surmise 1/2 of the people who hate Lebron do so because of his fans. Haters think Lebron's fans are blind to his mistakes and missteps but that is not the case with the Lebron fans I know.  We see his mistakes just like a hater does, but we don't focus on it because we know he's only human. A hater acts like Bron Bron should hang himself after every game. Friggin lames. 

1. "...but Kobe has 5 rings." When all else fails, the Kobe fans come out of the woodworks and compare apples to oranges. There HAS to be an unwritten rule for all Kobe fans: If you love Kobe, you must HATE Lebron. No exceptions.  Wompity womp! Lebron's fans give Kobe his props but Kobe fans seems to struggle with the inverse. Kobe and the Lakers were not even in the finals but Kobe's fans found a way to work his name into the conversation saying Lebron isn't as great as Kobe. Kobe fans, Lebron James is currently the best player in the NBA and he's not showing any signs of slowing down or shutting down.  Oh, and I we see those "one ring" jokes coming so get some new material. If I were a Lebron hater I would have stopped hating the moment he said he felt sorry for me for being a hater. That wasn't enough for ya'll huh?

I'm not saying you have to be a Lebron James fan. I know some of you are a lost cause. Just know this: Lebron's fans need you to come up with something more original. Really guys, the things you say when hating on him have gotten old. 

 

Lebron took time to thank his fans for their support. 

Today is about Lebron's GREATNESS! His reign as the Kang is just beginning. Long Live The Kang! 


Get ready Carmelo and Mike Vick, the pressure is on you two now. 

Twitter: @LegallyRatchet1

Facebook: Talented Generation

Email: TalentedGeneration@gmail.com

FOREVER FUNNY: Chris Bosh Shows Us That "Champagne Life!"

In what turned out to be the funniest post game moment on twitter, someone posted this GIFT of a .gif and made.my.night. 

Bosh enjoyed champagne like only a true QUEEN CAN: On her knees allowing fellow teammate D-wade to pour the liquid libation down her throat. This was not a drill.

Those wonderful people on YouTube have given me this gift in so many ways. Peep the video below, which is set to the song "Let Your Soul Glow."

 For those of you who with a special kinship to still shots, I have not forgotten you. 

Right click the photo and make it your desktop image! 

Before ya'll go gettin all sensitive, just chill.  Like I said, its funny to ME. 

Lebron James & The MIAMI HEAT are the 2012 NBA Champions!

RIP to all the "Lebron is ringless jokes." 


In a stunning upset, the Miami Heat defeated OKC Thunder 121-106 to become the 2012 NBA Champs!
Actually, by the time the 4th quarter rolled around, the beating was hard to watch. I hope you all had an opportunity to witness history-Lebron James got his first (of many more to come) championship ring. As a longtime fan of Lebron James, I shed a single tear from my left eye *and then I hit my dougie.*


Of course, people are still trying to find a way to hate on Lebron but this is the time to give him props. He ended the last game of the NBA season with a triple double: 28 points; 13 assists and 11 rebounds. He was the unanimous choice for the Bill Russell MVP trophy for the 2012 NBA finals. Accepting his trophy, James says his first thought when he realized they were champs was "Its about damn time." Indeed, it is about damned time. 


Don't be such a hater you can't give respect where its due...it makes you look stupid. You can't deny Bron's will to win or the hard work he put in to get where he is.


Congrats to the 2012 NBA Champs Miami Heat!!! 

Congrats to the Miami Heat players, their coach Nick Spoelstra, Pat Riley, the team owners and their fans. 


With the official parade on Monday, I know the city of Miami and South Beach are gonna be LIVE until Tuesday!


Its a celebration b*tches!!! 

KeeK's Dating Adventures: Episode 2

Every big city has its own personality. 

From the people to the restaurants to the attractions and mash up of cultures, no two big cities are the same. I haven't decided what DC's personality is like. In some circles, DC is considered New York City's younger sister. People who have lived in both claim DC has everything New York City has except it is "slower." Their words, not mine. Then again, some people say DC isn't a big city at all. I don't listen to those people. 

Dating in a big city is good and bad. Its good because there is a plethora of people to choose from when you decide you're ready to spread your social butterfly wings. Its bad because you never know what you're really getting.  Dating a complete stranger is a big risk. That is why people are more comfortable dating someone they're familiar with. You can chat with mutual friends about their personality and get a good idea of what to expect. I grew up in a small town where "everybody knows everybody." Before you decided to date someone you could ask around town and get  their dating resume. Everyone uses that system as opposed to branching out and dating people from a different city. 

In case you missed it, peep episode 1 HERE. 
Anywho, enough lead-in its time for Episode 2. 

"The Green-Eyed Brotha" 

Where we Met: At DC's Union Station. I worked part time at the Ann Taylor location there for a brief period and I was happy to have just ended a long day. I decided to go have a drink at B. Smith's before heading home. When I saw him sitting alone at the bar,  I hesitated.  He looked like the type who would want to chat. I sat at the opposite end of the bar taking special care not to make eye contact. I was being rude on purpose. 

The Number Exchange:
After 2 drinks and an appetizer I looked up from my phone to find him leering at me. We made eye contact and I smiled a half-way smile. I really did not want to be bothered. He didn't get that read. I figured I was sending mixed signals. He walked over and complimented my smile and my eyes. I let my guard down. He was gorgeous. His skin was flawless. His suit was tailored to a "T" and his smile was perfect. His eyes were a beautiful hue of green and his hair had a bit of a curl. He was tall and I could tell he was younger but he had the confidence of an older man. We chatted for about an hour. When I asked why he was single, he griped about his ex-girlfriend's struggle to understand his ambition; a struggle that drove them to break up. Eventually, he shared his affinity for white women and admitted he hasn't dated "that many black women." He was still dealing with the breakup but he made it very clear he wanted to get to know me better. I decided I enjoyed our conversation so I gave up my digits.  

The First Date: 
We texted and emailed back and forth for a few days before we agreed to return to B. Smith's. He called it "our spot." Dinner was on a Tuesday night at 7pm. I decided to wear a dress and ballet flats. We hugged and he complimented my Marc Jacobs Lola perfume and Isaac Mizrahi dress by name. He said he was really into fashion. He expressed strong interests in getting to know me and (in hindsight) was strangely interested in figuring out how "sexually open minded" I was. Throughout the date he made it clear how badly he wanted to kiss me. It made me uncomfortable. The conversation was stimulating but I left the date on the fence about whether I wanted to see him again. My gut was telling me something wasn't right. I couldn't put my finger on it, but I told him to give me time to ponder meeting up again. After he asked a few times, I told him I was not interested in seeing him again. He said he was ok with that and wished me the best. 

The Big TWIST: 
Two months had passed since our B. Smith's rendezvous when I found myself overdressed in cowgirl boots and a trendy dress in Georgetown. I was sent there on a random mission to recoup a Movado from a jewelry repair shop. It usually takes me 7 minutes to drive to Georgetown. There were some street closures that day so my drive was more like 15 minutes. It took me another 15 minutes to find a space but my park was right in front of the shop. All of this timing is going to make sense. The jeweler turned out to be more chatty than I expected but I didn't worry about getting ticketed (anyone who has ever lived in DC knows the fear of getting a ticket is REAL) because I could see my car and I was three steps away from the door. I chatted with the jeweler for 20 minutes before I was finally able to get away. She complimented my style on my way out and I heard the bells go off as I walked through the door. *Ding Ding* No sooner than the door closed behind me did I turn to my right and see Brandon. He was wearing short shorts and a racer back tee that was so loose I could see both of his nipples. He was wearing silver glitter Toms. He was trying to convince his friend to skip with him. His voice was higher pitched and he was giggling. My heart dropped into my stomach. "Thats not Brandon" is what I said to myself. Indeed, it was Brandon. He was holding hands with a younger white man and I reached the bottom of the jeweler's steps just in time to see the two share a kiss on the cheek. I threw up a little in my mouth. 

"Hi Brandon. How are you?" I said with a sneer. I made eye contact with him and he looked like he had seen a ghost. "Hi KeeKs. I wasn't expecting to see you here" he responded. "Oh I can tell" I said mockingly. The look on his face said so many things: He was caught and he knew it. He knew he had never mentioned this lifestyle.  He introduced his cutesy friend to me. The friend winked at me. "Is your number still the same?" Brandon asked. "Yes, its still the same. I don't see a reason you would want to use it tho. Anyway I don't wanna hold you two up from skipping enjoy your day fellas." I walked away sick to my stomach and overjoyed that I never let his lips touch my body. In that order. 

I started my drive home unsure of how I felt about what I saw. I thought about the timing of it all. I exited the jeweler's shop at the perfect time. I didn't have to go snooping around. I never even thought to ask. My phone started vibrating indicating the receipt of a text message. I knew it was Brandon. I knew he would want to explain. 

"Let me explain" the message read. 
"Explain what sweetheart?" I asked. 
"I am not gay. I want you to know that" he responded. 
"I never said you were darling, but apparently your heart is guilty. You don't owe me an explanation" I shared. 
"I know what it looked like and its not like that. I am not gay. I just started identifying as bi[sexual]. I'm sorry I never got around to telling you. I was going to tell you on our second date." he wrote. 

My heart was beating through my chest. OMG I was Terry McMillian! I was disappointed in myself. I'm still not sure if I felt betrayed. 


How could I have missed the signs?
How could I have missed seeing that he is the type of guy who has sex with other men? 
How could I have been so naive? 

After 10 messages or so he called. I hit the ignore button. The last thing I wanted to do was talk to him. I assured Brandon via text I was not upset with him and I was not. I felt pity for him. I never got serious with him so I wouldn't allow myself to get upset. Shocked. That is the only emotion I could feel. In one fell swoop I had gone from a woman who thought she could peg a gay man with a once-over to a woman who almost dated one without knowing. Brandon insisted he didn't consider himself gay and that is why he decided to pursue me. He said the real reason his girlfriend left him was because he came clean (after a year) about his strong desire to go back to sleeping with both men and women. She wasn't "open" to that. Brandon said he was hopeful that he would find a woman who could accept the fact that he also enjoys sleeping with men. I wished him the best. 

What I learned: 
You can never be too careful when you're dating. When I told my friends back in Florida I was going to law school in DC one of the first things they warned me about was "Down low brothas." They would say things like "Chile you know its an epidemic up there. & you gotta be careful because some of em 'look regular'." I wasn't worried because I thought I had a state-of-the-art gaydar. My naïveté allowed me to think I could peg a guy for gay 100 yards away. I thought I could look at the way a man walked, talked and dressed to determine whether he was gay. Boyyyyy was I wrong.  The main thing I learned was not to put anything past anyone. Before my interaction with Brandon I never thought to come out and ask a man if he's ever had sex with another man. Some men are offended by it, but I can't go on dating in DC assuming they will all say no. I don't have any qualms with homosexual people. I still don't know if there ever would have been a good time for Brandon to reveal his bisexuality to me. 

By the way, go HEAT! 

Sharing IS Caring: 20 Things to START Doing in Relationships

Its almost Friday.

Someone on my Facebook newsfeed helped get my brain working this morning when they posted this tidbit. I find it full of truth and simple yet profound advice so I decided to share. 

Not that at the top of the list is "Free Yourself From Negative People"<----if that aint the realest TRUTH to ever not be a lie! One of my other favs is "Leave Petty Arguments Alone."

I hope seeing these 20 things gives you all some inspiration about how to handle the relationships in your life. Since here are no specific references to the title you give the relationship it is safe to say these things are meant to apply to every type of relationship.

P. S. I really should stop posting things about relationships lest ya'll dub me a relationship blogger.

ATTN: DMV Residents. Need something to Do? Talented Generation to the RESCUE!

One of the things I love about living in this area is that there is always something to do. For the remainder of this week, that something is in Silver Spring at the Silverdocs International Film Festival. 


What the heck is the Silverdocs Festival? 

Since you're too lazy to Google it I'll tell you. Silverdocs encompasses a seven-day international film festival and five-day concurrent conference that promotes documentary film as a leading art form, supports the work of independent filmmakers and fosters an atmosphere for public dialogue and civic engagement around the issues and ideas explored in the films. Silverdocs was created through a unique alliance between AFI and the Discovery Channel, the festival’s Founding Sponsor.


Already underway, the 10^th annual Festival lasts until June 24, 2012. The  festival will take place at the AFI Silver Theatre & Cultural Center and other fantastic locations in and around downtown Silver Spring, MD. 
 
One documentary I'm going to support is La Source. The documentary chronicles the journey of Josue Lajeunesse- a Haitian Princeton janitor who seeks the support of the privileged community he serves everyday and sacrifices everything to revive his lifelong dream to bring what is most fundamental to his village’s survival; clean water. Lajeunesse grew up in the rural town of La Source, Haiti, where the residents live without plumbing or electricity and must embark on a treacherous hike up a mountain every day in order to obtain clean water. Now working as a janitor at Princeton University by day and a cab driver by night, Lajeunesse is convinced that there must be a better way for his hometown friends and family to live. Together with his carpenter brother Chrismedonne, who still lives in Haiti, Lajeunesse decides to organize an effort to finally bring clean water to La Source. 


The doc premiers tonight at the AFI Silver Theatre at 5:00pm. The only other showing is on Saturday, June 23 at 9:45am. 


Tickets are $13.00 for general admission and can be purchased here. 


***
Mr. Lajeunesse serves as an example that you don't have to "make it" before you give back. I know some of you are waiting until you make a certain amount of money or work a certain job before you do something to give back but you don't have to wait. You CAN give back right now. Some people think giving back is about money and that is not always the case. Don't be ashamed if you can't make monetary donations because you can donate your time. Some organizations have funding but don't have manpower. Volunteer your time or donate your lightly used clothes to churches/shelters. It costs you nothing but a few days a month to serve as a big brother or big sister and you could change someone's life. I encourage all of you to find a way to give back. I can personally testify that making a difference in someone else's life is a blessing unmatched by any amount of money I have seen in my lifetime. 


If you have free time and you are not giving back in some way SHAME.ON.YOU.