WhY dId KaNyE wEsT mOcK kRiS jEnNeR?

The new "Yeezus" album is number one on the Billboard charts in the US and the UK! Lyrical genius Kanye West has done it again with his 5th album shooting straight to the top! West was adamant about corporate America not having any parts of this particular project, and he solidified it with his reprimanding lyrics.

The 36 year old superstar has much to celebrate these days with a number one album and the birth of baby North West, whom he shares with the beautiful mother of his child Kim Kardashian.

Commotion will surround the power couple for months to come, or until they release baby pics that is. It'll be interesting to see the merging of the West and Kardashian-Jenner clans, unless Kanye West has other ideas, because OMG online states that West doesn't necessarily get along with his soon-to-be mother-in-law Kris Jenner.

According to OMG, when West was in Paris working on his newest album "Yeezus", writer Christopher Bagley of W magazine joined him for an interview. Bagley was there to talk about the album, but instead discovered that the relationship between Kanye and Kris, was in fact tense.

Bagley wrote about Kris Jenner dropping by West's Parisian apartment, offering up compliments on what she saw. Then there was an awkwardness when Jenner proceeded to compliment Kanye, on some unfinished music he played for her. 

"Great job," says Kris regarding Kanye's work, who didn't seem to take the compliment so well. Bagley wrote that Kanye proceeded to mock Kris Jenner, repeating her words and turning it into a stand up comedy. Toasting with his champagne glass he says, "Great job, Baccarat, for making a glass that can hold liquid!" He looks down at his waist, "Great job, belt loops, for keeping my pants up!'" 

At first I was shocked that Kanye would mock Kim's mother, because it seemed as if it were a form of disrespect. But as I thought about what she said and then what he said, I began to understand where he was coming from.

As an artist you covet your work. You're so passionate about it that another person's opinion of your work (especially if you find the opinion to be minuscule) can in fact be unflattering. When Jenner commented "Great job" to West, he may have felt it to be to light and airy and somewhat detached from the work itself. 

There's much work that goes into creating a song, a beat, an album, a performance, art; it's way deep. Which is why he referenced objects/products, things that we take for granted everyday like a glass or our belt loops, if we didn't have these things we would soon understand that we needed them and then work to create them. Kanye West, has staked his claim as an artist whose work is necessary.

Some can argue that Jenner couldn't have known that West, would be offended by her compliment. True. But others can argue that Jenner has been a manager of a girl group and on her famous reality show 'KUWTK', she was seen working with the legendary Kenny 'Babyface' Edmonds. 

So, technically, you can say she could have given Kanye more of an artistic response to his work? Or maybe it wouldn't matter anyway, as Kanye is known for his arrogant, cocky and at times sarcastic rhetoric and actions, so maybe it was only a matter of time before he went head to head with Kim's momager?

Moreover, because there is tension between the West and Jenner duo, she could be nervous about saying to much to him and would rather just be nice to clear the air. But who knows! Only time will tell how the West and Kardashian-Jenner clan will fare, but we intend to keep a watchful eye.

2013 LA

ThE iNfAmOuS "N" WoRd TaKeS cEnTeR sTaGe...AgAiN

The infamous "N" word takes center stage yet again in light of the controversial remarks made by former Food Network star, Paula Deen.

Deens' blatant use of the "N" word brought into question, who bears the right to use the infamous "N" word? Some repetitive comments I've heard over the past week is that, "Rappers use the word all the time. If rappers can use it and if Hollywood can use it, then how come other people can't?"

This comment in particular was made on the day time talk show 'The View' when guest Rachel Campos-Duffy, wife of Republican Congressman Sean Duffy, decided to chime in her opinion on why people should be able to use the "N" word, since rappers use it; and if "Black" America is so outraged when white people use the word, then why use it at all?

Mrs. Duffy's questions were valid. I did find it interesting that she JUMPED at the opportunity to defend Paula Deen using the infamous "N" word as if she herself, or others in her private circle frequent the word, but I digress.

Whoopi's take on the infamous "N" word: "If you decide to use it, just know there are consequences."

Sherri's take on the infamous "N" word: "Yes, our culture uses it and no, White America can't."

My take on the infamous "N" word?

Black people OWN the word, as it was taken from its original creators and reinvented. "Nigger" became "Nigga"; it is still used in a negative connotation that means ignorant, however, it can also be used as a term of endearment which sometimes perplexes people -- and understandably so. But in Black culture because the meaning of the word is already understood when it's said with regards to the tone, no offense is taken.

However, if a white person uses the infamous "N" word -- black people are immediately on guard because the original creators of the word were white; it's like being in a crowded noisy room of people, and as soon as a white person uses the infamous "N" word the music is stopped, people are no longer talking, and the silence is so deafening that you could hear a pin drop. Did I paint a clear enough picture?

Black America understands that people of all races use the infamous "N" word, however, we also understand that due to the sensitive nature of the word -- empathy from other races should be a given. Paula Deen's issue is that she spoke her truth trusting that those around her would accept her race baiting language, but to the contrary it back fired on her. 

She literally wanted to recreate a period in time when millions suffered and died by the hands of their oppressors, which in fact she admitted that her ancestors owned at least 35 slaves! 

The infamous "N" word represents a human holocaust that was only recently acknowledged by our government 6 years ago, when Barack Obama began running for the presidency. Republicans didn't want to acknowledge an apology for slavery because they felt that black America would rightfully ask for well over due reparations. If the American government paid out reparations to Jewish holocaust survivors and to Japanese Vietnam survivors (which both atrocities didn't even take place in America), why is it so hard for the American government to address reparations for the human holocaust that took place for over 500 centuries right here on American soil?

Can we blame Paula Deen for how she was raised?

No we can't but as we become adults, we also become responsible for our words. And although Deen's family owned slaves that she claims were like family to her, it doesn't change the fact that in all these decades gone by she should've learned from first hand experience that using the infamous "N" word was indeed inappropriate.
  
My advice to white America? 

Think twice before using the infamous "N" word.

2013 LA