...One of Marcus's Girls...

Eartha Kitt. Classic. Rest in Peace Lady Eloise.

Immortality... Take it, IT'S YOURS!

It's over. Tyler Hansbrough has cemented his place among the Immortals of Carolina Basketball.Congratulations and thanks for the memories. One request though Psycho T...give us one more big memory come March!

"I never dreamed I'd be here and be the all-time leading scorer.This is a great honor to be here and to represent you guys every night in this uniform."
Tyler Hansbrough
December 18, 2008

Charlotte Observer Coverage of event
SI.COM coverage

2,290 points and Four Corners.

Barring an asteroid striking the Dean Dome Thursday, Tyler Hansbrough will end his evening the leading scorer in University of North Carolina basketball history. That's big kiddies ... that's more points than all time college basketball lumanaries Michael Jordan, James Worthy, Walter Davis, Billy Cunningham, Antawn Jamison, and the legendary Phil Ford, (the current record holder for a few more hours).

As happy as I am for Tyler Hansbrough, the young Heel in me kind wishes the record was Phil's forever. He meant that much to the schools program and the fans of his era.

To say Ford was an important part of Carolina basketball is like saying Abraham Lincoln made a "subtle" decision regarding slavery. Dean Smiths "Four Corners" offensive scheme as run by Ford forced the NCAA to change the rules adding a shot clock. I've been a avid Carolina fan since the mid 70's and for my money Phil Ford may have been the best I've ever seen in blue. For Tyler Hansbrough to break this thirty year old record will say volumes about both.

Go Blue.

AP Wire"Hansbrough on cusp of setting UNC scoring record"
Charlotte News & Observer "Hansbrough Closes in on Phil Ford"

"I Had Some Problems ..."

A Good friend called last night and mentioned TV1 would be showing a documentary about the Debarge family on the latest episode of "Unsung" ( think "Behind the Music" except for underrated black acts as opposed to no talent white acts ...just kidding). What can I say? It was fantastic and heart wrenching at the same time. The DeBarge family is a case study for what domestic/ sexual abuse can lead to. The doc tells the story way better than I can so please check it out. While your at it send out a prayer for the DeBarge family members that reportedly struggle with substance abuse problems that seem to have damaged their health and careers.

While all the members have had their ups in downs it's Bunny, Bobby, and El that seem the most compelling ( probably due to their being the top level talent in the family). Bunny has written a book about their struggles and seems to have turned a corner. El , the "Michael Jackson wunderkind" of the family seems to still be on a self destructive spiral as recently as October of 2008. Bobby, the voice of the seminal classic "I Call Your Name" and former lead sing of Switch died years ago from AIDS related complications.

Heres hoping that all the members of the family can find the happiness and peace they deserve. Will it happen? To paraphrase their eighties classic "Time Will Reveal".

NPR Audio Interview

El DeBarge interview with Donnie Simpson
Bunny DeBarge My Space Page
Bunny DeBarge Interview pt1 pt2 pt3

Below is the complete Vibe Magazine Article a posted online by Vibe

The Rise and Fall of the DeBarge Family

BY: MICHAEL A. GONZALES

Broken Dreams - Episode 1 of VIBE's DeBarge family feature, from the October 2007 issue.

The DeBarge family - El, Marty, Randy, Bunny and James, not to mention Thomas, Bobby, and baby brother Chico - were supposed to be Motown's follow-up to the Jacksons. But after a trail of dazzling '80s hits, behind-the-scenes drama threatened to bring the family down. From dating Latoya and Janet Jackson to allegations of sexual abuse and drug addiction - the DeBarge family has dealt with everything from prison time to AIDS. But even now, their music is still sampled by the likes of Diddy and Polow Da Don, and some of the DeBarges are trying resurrect their careers. Is it too late, though, to pick up the pieces? A story in four parts, from our October 2007 issue. Episode 1.

The house lights dimmed on a humid summer evening in 1994, and El DeBarge floated across the cluttered stage of the now-defunct New York City nightclub Tramps.
"Respect to the old school!" screamed a drunk woman from the bar. El, then 33, gently grabbed the microphone and wrapped his feathery falsetto around a songbook of classic material from his family's R&B-pop group, DeBarge. Though he'd left the group in 1986, El opened with their heartbreaking 1983 hit "Stay with Me" (Gordy), which Sean "Puffy" Combs would soon sample for the Notorious B.I.G.'s 1995 smash remix of "One More Chance" (Bad Boy). As El sang, it seemed he was ready for another chance himself. Despite rumors that he was caught up in a fog of drug addiction, on this night, both El's voice and his wardrobe were sharp as nails.
An ex-child preacher at Bethel Pentecostal Church in Grand Rapids, Mich., Eldra DeBarge still knew how to work a crowd, baptizing the blissful audience simply by playing a few chords on his white keyboard. Born into a biracial - not Hispanic, as many still believe - family of sublime vocalists, El was the brightest star of the eight singing DeBarge siblings.

DeBarge was part of Motown's second wave of soul-music stars after founder Berry Gordy Jr. fled the grit of Detroit for the glam of Los Angeles. Consisting of brothers El, James, Mark, and Randy, and their elder sister Bunny, the group was instantly transformed from Midwestern church singers into Right On! magazine teen dreams, complete with flashy 1980s fashions and beaming smiles. But by the late '80s, DeBarge's fame was fading.

Less than a decade later, El was in NYC to promote his new album Heart, Mind & Soul (Warner Bros.) and perhaps to make a new start. Except for the huge hit he had with Barry White, Al B. Sure!, and James Ingram of 1990's Quincy Jones-produced "The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite)," El had been off the radar for years. He was already a throwback in a world dominated by new jacks like R. Kelly and Jodeci, but no one could have predicted that H,M&S would be El's last solo release for 13 years.

At Tramps, El briefly closed his eyes and sang the tortured lyrics of "All This Love," a massive radio hit he wrote and produced in 1983: "I've had some problems," he sang. "And no one could seem to solve them." The poignant lyrics were a fitting synopsis of the turbulent life and times of the DeBarge family, the greatest story never told.
It began 1975, when Barry White fired a crew known as White Heat, one of his many backing bands, which included pianist/singer Robert "Bobby" DeBarge Jr., the second oldest of the 10 DeBarge siblings. The whole DeBarge family loved music. They'd sing on the radio in Detroit on Sunday mornings and perform at talent shows. Bobby's talents stood out.

"I've never heard anyone sound quite like him, and with so much ease," producer Bernd Lichters has said. "I knew I saw a star." Lichters worked with former White Heat members Bobby DeBarge and Gregory Williams (a schoolmate of Bobby's) to launch the pioneering soul-pop group Switch. Bobby co-wrote and co-produced much of the group's best music, but behind the good looks and dazzling talent lurked a tortured soul."I've never heard anyone sound quite like him, and with so much ease," producer Bernd Lichters has said. "I knew I saw a star." Lichters worked with former White Heat members Bobby DeBarge and Gregory Williams (a schoolmate of Bobby's) to launch the pioneering soul-pop group Switch. Bobby co-wrote and co-produced much of the group's best music, but behind the good looks and dazzling talent lurked a tortured soul.

Bobby's drug issues were common knowledge among the members of Switch, but his voice was too gorgeous to ignore. Still, Switch - which released five albums on Motown's subsidiary Gordy Records - almost bounded into the studio without his supple crooning. "I wasn't sure I wanted Bobby to be in the group because he was still on drugs," says Williams. But when a chance meeting in Los Angeles with Jermaine Jackson and his wife, Hazel (Berry Gordy's daughter), got them an audition with Gordy, Williams reconsidered.

Bobby was determined to kick his habit before reaching Hollywood, sweating the junk out of his system on the Greyhound bus ride west from Grand Rapids. By the time anyone from Motown met him, Bobby was clean. Switch - which consisted of Bobby and Tommy DeBarge, vocalist Phillip Ingram, Williams, Eddie Fluellen, and Jody Simms - was offered a contract.

Released in 1978, Switch's self-titled debut featured the standout "There'll Never Be," which rode the Billboard R&B charts for 26 weeks, peaking at No. 6. The album went on to sell a million copies and formed the sonic template for future groups as diverse as Jodeci and Mint Condition.

"The night we wrote 'I Call Your Name' was a strange one," says Williams of the achy slow-jam, which was sampled in 2006 by Polow Da Don for Rich Boy's big hit "Throw Some D's." "Bobby was dating LaToya Jackson," Williams says, "and she was the only girl on his mind. One night, he started fooling around on the Fender Rhodes. I started singing along, and next thing you know we had a song. I'm not saying the song was written for LaToya, but they were in love, and Bobby couldn't wait to play her the completed song."

While Bobby was working on that second Switch album, Mark and Randy DeBarge visited Los Angeles to see what their brothers were up to. Before long Bunny, Mark, Randy, El, and James made the journey west. Lichters leased a five-bedroom house and took them to buy instruments. "Motown put us on salary, because we were starving," says Bunny by phone from Grand Rapids. "Because he'd lost the Jacksons, we became his pet project." Motown encouraged the DeBarges to fire their managers and sign with DePasse and Jones management, which was affiliated with Motown. They eventually agreed.

While family acts like the Osmonds and the Sylvers had become passe after the Jackson 5 left Motown in 1975, the acclaim of DeBarge's 1982 sophomore album, All This Love, inspired a new generation of brothers and sisters -like Five Starr and The Jets - to bum-rush the sibling scene. But DeBarge stood head and shoulders above the rest. Romantic, pop-friendly R&B jams like "All This Love," "I Like It," "Who's Holding Donna Now," "Love Me in a Special Way," and their biggest pop hit, "Rhythm of the Night," from the 1985 Motown film The Last Dragon (Tri-Star Pictures), made the group crossover stars. But the DeBarge family was ill prepared for the challenges of celebrity. Back in the 1960s, when Gordy's hit factory was still run like a mom 'n' pop shop, the "old" Motown was renowned for artist development that included everything from dance lessons to etiquette classes. The label's 1972 move to L.A. killed that tradition. "Coaching? What coaching? I haven't been fortunate enough to have people around to show me things. I wish I did," El said to the Los Angeles Times in 1984. "Basically, I'm out there by myself."

That same year, James DeBarge, the second youngest of the group, married Janet Jackson. She was 18. He was 21. He was a rising star at Motown, and she was struggling to break away from a notoriously insular family. James met her because his brother Bobby was dating La Toya. "James and Janet started secretly seeing each other," says Bunny DeBarge. " Then they came to Grand Rapids and eloped. For the Jackson family, it was a nightmare. Nobody knew how serious it was, but they were so young." The marriage was annulled after several months amid allegations of James' drug abuse. It's long been rumored that Janet gave birth to a baby girl who was then raised by her older sister Rebee. All parties involved have denied the story for decades. "They say the kid's in Europe or that one of my brothers or sisters is raising it," Janet said in the May 2001 issue of VIBE. "But no, I've never had a child."
It was also in 1984, during DeBarge's four-month stint as the opening act on Luther Vandross's sold-out "Busy Body" tour, when the family discovered just how famous they'd become. This was the year of Michael Jackson's Thriller, Prince's Purple Rain, and The Police's Synchronicity, but DeBarge was driving their fans every bit as crazy as those household names. "Girls would jump onstage, pull out our hair, tear off our clothes, and sometimes scratch off our skin," says James by phone from California. "It got even scarier when we stopped off in Detroit to perform at a record shop. The crowd broke down the barricades and smashed the windows. We had to get a helicopter lift from the roof. There were a lot of Beatles-type moments."
Nevertheless, in the classic Motown tradition of separating powerful lead singers from successful groups - Diana Ross from the Supremes, Smokey Robinson from the Miracles, Michael Jackson from the Jacksons, Lionel Richie from the Commodores - it wasn't long before divide-and-conquer tactics apparently went down with DeBarge. "They made El think that he was better than his brothers and sister," says El's 71-year-old mother, Etterlene. "Michael was the star of the Jacksons, but I thought my kids made them look like crap," continues the woman who refers to herself - even on her MySpace page - as Mama DeBarge. Speaking by telephone from her home in Grand Rapids, Mama's voice is as soothing as peppermint tea, but she still harbors bad memories of Motown, which she's channeling into the book she's working on, titled The Other Side of The Pain. "Everything became about what Motown wanted, not what the kids wanted," she says. "My kids were fighting like enemies."
But according to Bunny, it wasn't just label troubles that derailed the DeBarge family's dreams of showbiz glory. "We weren't able to sustain our success because of our childhood," she says. On the surface, they seemed like a model family. But the parents' relationship was troubled. "Interracial marriage was still controversial and we were talked about everywhere," recalls Bunny. To make matters worse, Bunny says her father was "always fighting" with her mother. "Mom came from a loving, church family," says Bunny. "She wasn't used to people who were violent."
Even family friends could sense the trouble at home. "To put it simply," says Williams, who has known and worked with the DeBarges since they were all youngsters, "their father was psychotic."

Etterlene Abney was 17 when she met the 21-year-old Army soldier Robert DeBarge at a Detroit skating rink. "At first I didn't think he would like me, because I was so dark," Etterlene recalls. "A white man with a black woman…we were a freak show." They were married in 1953, two weeks before he was shipped out overseas. Etterlene says she'd never known brutality in her life — until she wed. "Robert was very jealous," she said with a sigh, "and an extremely abusive father." They stayed together 21 years before divorcing in 1974.

"Bobby went through a lot of pain," says Chico DeBarge of his oldest brother. "My father sexually molested a lot of my brothers and sisters. You could hear that anguish in Bobby's music."

Robert DeBarge Sr. has a voice as dry as sandpaper. At 75, he's had three surgeries and breathes with the help of an oxygen tank. "She has the right to her opinion," he says of his wife's allegations of abuse. "I don't think that I was at all . . . I don't speak a lot against her because she's the mother of my children. There are a lot of things, for the sake of the children, some things are best for them not to even know." Now remarried, with one son who died in a car accident, he firmly denies abusing his children sexually or otherwise. "Ohh no, no no," he says, sounding shocked at the idea.

"That may be our fault," says Bunny, unsurprised to hear her father's denials. "We never made daddy stand up. I don't hate my father, but he has a way of blocking things out of his mind."

Robert Sr. was a trucker after leaving the Army. A religious man, he sometimes found time to play the piano. "I was musically inclined," he says with a laugh, "so the children couldn't help but be talented." Although he had split with "the boys' mother" by the time his children had moved to Los Angeles, he says he "wasn't tickled to death about it," preferring they further their education instead. He never thought Motown would treat them right. "I knew they would use them instead of being fair with them. Being in the limelight is a struggle," he says. "Here today, and gone tomorrow."

According to Bunny — who, like her mother is working on a book, ominously titled The Kept One — the DeBarge siblings' experience with drugs started early. She tried sniffing coke after the group finished its second album and eventually became dependent on pills. "It was the '80s — doing drugs was the thing to do," says Bunny, stressing that she never went to sessions high. "If you weren't doing drugs, you weren't in."

By 1987, Bunny had left DeBarge and was in a free fall. "I had no drugs to help me cover, no fame to hide behind," she writes in her forthcoming book. (Bunny has since kicked her habit, crediting her turnaround to her relationship with God). The following year, Bobby and Chico were convicted, along with two other accomplices, on drug conspiracy charges [see sidebar]. Chico's self-titled debut album had been released just two years earlier, and he should have been enjoying the success of his single "Talk To Me" (Motown, 1986). Instead, both brothers found themselves in jail cells serving five-year sentences. But the most tragic fall of all was Bobby's.

"Bobby was always very sensitive and withdrawn," says Williams, "and there was a lot of abuse at the hands of Mr. DeBarge. Heroin became his main way to escape." Though he stayed clean for a while, after the success of Switch II, Bobby began slipping. "He was back on drugs, and his ego was out of control," Williams says. "Bobby was going around saying, 'I'm Switch.'"
But Etterlene believes her son had simply outgrown the group. "There was a lot of hating going on," she says. "People might have bought Switch records, but they were really buying Bobby's voice."

Maybe he didn't need the band to show off his musical talents, but Bobby did seek refuge at his former bandmate's California home after being released from prison in 1994 with the HIV virus ravaging his immune system. "Bobby's last years were hell," Williams says. "He was separated from his wife and kids, and acting paranoid toward everybody. Bobby knew his life was basically over." He moved back to Grand Rapids the following year, and his family checked him into a hospice. After riding the heroin horse since his teens, Bobby died from complications of AIDS on August 16, 1995 at the age of 39. Taking his big brother's death to heart, El would never be the same.
Much was expected of Eldra. Like Bobby, El simply had it. Aside from his vocal talents, El was also a keyboardist and producer who seemed destined to run in the same company as Michael Jackson and Prince. But at his core, El was more tortured balladeer than mammoth pop star.

"I've seen him get to a special place while performing, and he'd just start crying on stage," says friend/collaborator David "DJ Quik" Blake from his Southern California home. "That's how powerful his music is."

Legendary producer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, who did some production work on El's Heart, Mind and Soul, fondly remembers the days when his old group the Deele - which included drummer-turned-Island-Def-Jam-chairman Antonio "L.A." Reid - and DeBarge opened for Luther Vandross. "I was in awe of El back then," says Babyface, "and learned much about songwriting and performance from studying him."

El's solo track record is frustratingly short. Motown released his self-titled solo debut in 1986, featuring the lighthearted pop hit "Who's Johnny." A second solo album Gemini, was dropped (to moderate fanfare) in 1989. In 1992, he laced Quincy Jones' majestic "The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite)." El's first post-Motown disc, In the Storm (Warner Brothers, 1992), featured underrated collaborations with Earth, Wind & Fire leader Maurice White, a duet with Chante Moore ("You Know What I Like") and a chilling remake of Marvin Gaye's "After the Dance" with Fourplay. And while that stellar track was a hit on urban radio, the disc was a commercial disappointment. In 1995, Warner Bros. dropped El from the label. With the exception of supplying keyboards and background vocals on Chico's strong post-prison disc, Long Time No See (1997), and DJ Quik's 1999 Rhythm-Al-Ism, El hasn't recorded anything for public consumption in more than a decade.

So, what happened?

"Drugs happened," blurts Etterlene. "It's painful to talk about, but when El got into drugs, it just paralyzed him." The drug abuse masked deeper scars. "El was lonely without his brother [Bobby]," his mother continues. "He just couldn't deal with all the people in the music industry. He couldn't deal with their fakeness and people ripping him off. Motown had taken all his publishing, and they're still making money from those songs." His own financial needs were just the tip of the iceberg. According to Bunny, El sired as many as 10 children, starting from the time he was 14. He could do little more than to put all this stress into his music, but then one day the music stopped.

"Is this going to be a cover story?" El asked in measured tones the one time VIBE spoke to him for this article, in April 2007. The most accessible DeBarge brother, Chico, who was recording new material in a Times Square studio, had gotten him to the phone, if only for a minute.

"Not my decision," this writer replied.

"Well, call me on Monday," El said. "We can talk then."

After weeks of repeated phone calls that seemed to be ringing inside a black hole, it was obvious that El had no intention of talking to anyone. But there may yet be another chapter to El's story. The reclusive soul man has recently been spending time in a California recording studio with Babyface. Williams holds out hope for El's redemption, but a full-length interview is another matter. "Most of the time I can't even get a hold of him," says Williams, CEO of Switch Entertainment, who is also acting as El's manager. "But the voice is still there. El still has that gift."

Along with older brothers Bobby and El, the suffering "soul man" strain can still be heard in Chico's music as well. While Switch, DeBarge, and El may enjoy top billing in the DeBarge family's musical hierarchy, Chico's Long Time No See is a conceptual gem that recalls Marvin Gaye's 1978 Here, My Dear (Motown). When he signed to Kedar Entertainment, home of songbird Erykah Badu, Chico wasn't aware that he was creating such a memorable project. "Coming out of prison," he says, sipping a Grey Goose and cranberry in a Brooklyn restaurant, "my goal was to make music that would get me to the other side of the pain."

After the release of Chico's 1999 follow-up album, The Game, he and Massenberg parted company. "We both have very strong opinions," says Massenberg. "His ideas for The Game were corny; Chico wanted to be more bling and mainstream. We did manage to make one classic album, but sometimes Chico can be his own worst enemy."

It's 2 a.m. one Saturday in Times Square, and perfectionist Chico has spent the night working at Quad Recording Studios. Dressed in a fly sweatsuit and sneakers, he's just finished recording a new track called "Make You Feel Good" featuring rappers Jim Jones and Young Nic, which he plans to release on his own Innovator label as part of his new album, Lessons.

The heartbreak in Bobby, El, and Chico's music may have many sources, but part of it stems from having to always prove themselves worthy. The Jacksons are constantly name checked as the first family of R&B. But when it comes time to define the canon, the artistry and rich contributions of the DeBarge family has been unfairly kicked to the curb.

Slightly buzzed from a vodka cocktail, Chico glances out of the studio window and watches a taxi zoom down Broadway. "You know what us being in the studio tonight means?" he asks of no one in particular. "It means that the DeBarge story is not over. What my brothers and sister gave me was a beautiful musical legacy that has already been written in stone," he says. "Honestly, nobody can change that history." And that's a story, no matter how painful, that Chico intends to carry on.

But his mother takes a very different view of this latest DeBarge comeback attempt. "If I had to do it again, I would never allow my kids to be in the music industry," says a somber Mama DeBarge, who recently put a bunch of Chico's keyboards and recording equipment up for sale on eBay. "There are a lot of snakes out there," she observes. "And they bite real hard."

Who will watch the Watchmen? pt2

Oh this just keeps looking better all the time. Who watches the Watchmen? Soon all of us.


Who will watch the Watchmen? pt1

I'm not happy ... not at all.

The beginning of this years NCAA Mens basketball season had North Carolina ranked no.1 in every poll from Raleigh-Durham to Russia. That was good... I was happy. North Carolina Basketball is as important to me as food and water is to the rest of you mortals ...it's very necessary. In a heroic attempt not to get too overjoyed I mentioned to anyone that would listen "it's not how your ranked when the season starts it's where your ranked when it ends" ( sage wisdom if ever I heard it right?). I also said the dreaded " barring injury we look poised to when it all'.

Damn.

Last night star Freshman Tyler Zeller breaks his wrist and possibly ends his season!!!! This with All Planet Senior Tyler Hansbrough nursing a stress reaction in his leg out indefinitely!! Oh wait I'm sorry, did I neglect to mention that Senior defensive star Marcus Ginyard is also out indefinitely with a stress fracture in his foot?

I hate the word indefinitely. I'm not happy.

...Like Tears in the Rain...

Tomorrow an old friend dies. He lived a good life, Hell, 85 years is one heckuva a nice run. Guess that's easy for me to say...I'll still be here. Still, I have to say the things my friend has seen with his eyes, the moments he has been apart of, the people he's known...wow! My guy has had more great moments then any of his peers. It's not even close. I should have visited more often. Tomorrow we lose a good one. Tomorrow Yankee Stadium, the house that Ruth built will host it's last game. Ever.

Ruth's home runs, Gehrig's goodbye, Notre Dame winning just ONE for the Gipper, Louis destruction of the Nazi dream, Reggie's three homer night, Don Larsen's day of perfection, Maris's 61st, the "greatest NFL game ever", Jackie stealing home and stealing hearts, Bednariks near beheading of Frank Gifford, Brett's pine tar fueled rampage, Jeffrey "the kid that caught the ball" Maier, Jeter's catch, 17 ...SEVENTEEN CLINCHING WORLD SERIES GAMES FOR THE HOME TEAM Yankees, so many moments! "Oh the things I've seen with your eyes".

Time to move on old timer. Time for the new kid across the street to take over. Kid you've got a lot to live up to.

All those ... moments will be lost in time, like tears...in the rain. Time to die.
Roy Baty

Sports Illustrated Article ( Brilliant must read)
N.Y. Times Article
Canadian Press Article
MLB "New Parks" Article

The Wind Cries Hendrix.

38 years ago today the Voodoo Child set sail. Jimi Hendrix has been dead far longer than he actually lived yet still casts a shadow over anyone with guts enough to pick up a guitar.

"I'm the one that's got to die when it comes time for me to die, so let me live my life the way I want to."
James Marshall Hendrix

Prince Hates You. Maybe. Allegedly.

Major Disclaimer: I really wrestled with the idea of tackling this subject. Prince is now and will always be THE preeminent musical force in my little corner of the world. His musical legacy is intact and beyond anyones ability to denounce. This article is not about that. This is one fans opinion on the state of Prince's relationship with his fans...it ain't good is the short version, the 12 inch version is below. Read on reader.

Remember when Prince, the Minneapolis Miracle, was the cutting edge on the musical scene? The true American "rude boy". Fuck Neo, Prince was the One back in the day. The brother threw the ultimate house parties with his albums ( not CDs kiddies but 33 and 1/3 of magic coated wax). The range he covered made it hard to believe ALL that music came from one cat...but it did. The Hits: "I wanna be your lover","1999", "Purple Rain", "Kiss" . Album cuts like "Head", "D.M.S.R", "Lady Cab Driver" kept it movin'. The killer B-sides: "She's always in my hair", "Girl", "17 days", "Erotic City", "Another Lonely Christmas", man it seemed like the "purple music" pouring out of Minneapolis would never stop. Bottom line: Prince was the definitive musical force of his time. Now he's something else all together.

This is not about his musical prowess, hell that's beyond reproach. It's about his complete disrespect for his fan base. Do a search for Prince fan web sites. Did you find a few? If so check back in a month or two and see if they're still there. I can guarantee if they have any pictures, video, or real CONTENT you would like to see they won't be for long. His legal team will send them one of his famous cease and desist letters.

See, Prince does more time policing his internet presence than making music these days. Teaming up with Web Sheriff, suing Youtube( why would anyone in there right mind sue a site that advertises your product for free) , Pirate Bay ( THIS I understand they do provide opportunities to download copy written material) , and ebay ( they allow the sale of bootlegs and fake merchandise ...perhaps unknowingly). Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with anyone suing someone that is illegally profiting financially from their intellectual or "real" property, BUT I don't understand how preventing your fans from sharing free content is damaging a artist. This is from the man that used the catch phrase "free the music" during the 90's.

From the attack on the Prince fanzine Uptown Magazine back in the day to the recent pissing match between www.housequake.com, www.princefams.com, and www.prince.org ( that has resulted in the formation of a "resistance group", PFU-Prince Fans United) things have taken a turn from the ridiculous to the just plane assinine. Prince actually wrote a song (PFUNK) that vaguely ( that's me being charitable) outlines his feelings on the PFU group ( the song and the details can be heard and read here).

The trading communities have been devastated. Web sites shut down. Fan communities disbanded. Maybe Prince is not the One from the Matrix movies. Maybe he's the system of control Neo fought against. Maybe he's a rich millionaire with no connection to real people anymore. Maybe.Allegedly.

Update:New Article from USA Today

Ars technica Article
Tot's Mom vs. Prince
Idolator.com article

Who will watch the Watchmen?

With the Dark Knight getting Oscar worthy reviews and passing Star Wars for the no.2 spot on highest grossing domestic movies of all time list it's official: comic book movies are no longer guilty pleasures. The Dark Knight took the adult themes and serious minded outlook on super-heroes to a new level, Watchmen might be the one to take things one more step in that direction. With a pedigree that includes accolades as far ranging as a Hugo Award win and recognition from Time magazine as one of the 100 best English language novels of all-time, writer and critics darling Alan Moore(V for Vendetta, Marvelman, From Hell, Swamp thing) behind the original story , add one of the hottest directors Zak Snyder coming of a huge hit( 300) and it's fair to say expectations are high.

So I guess your asking "Who are the Watchmen"? If not, you should be. Heres a very brief spoiler free peek.

The basic premise is that masked crime fighting heroes are real and exist in a Nixon era America. Due to political pressures and public outcry almost all have retired or gone underground . One critical character changes the balance of power between the Soviet Union and the United States due to his almost godlike powers as the only truly "super" powered hero.He maintains the status quo.

Observing all this from their own vantage point are the other now retired or disenfranchised crime fighters. Most of them battle their own more personal demons, feeling impotent and unable to effect the world around them in their civilian guises. Things begin to change when ex "masks" start dying. Is it a elaborate plot to reshape the world or merely random coincidences in a sick decaying world order? You'll have to watch the Watchmen to find out.

Written by Alan Moore and drawn by Dave Gibbons and released by DC comics 1986, Watchman was a highly successful 12 issue mini series. The main characters were originally based on almost forgotten characters from the now defunct Charlton Comics company. DC having paid for the writes to these character decided to "use them" in a different capacity. Simply put Moore and Gibbons replaced the Charlton characters Captain Atom, Peacemaker, Blue Beetle, The Question, and The Thunderbolt ( and others) with their own super heroes ( Doctor Manhattan, The Comedian, Nite Owl, Rorschach, and Ozymandias). The results speak for themselves. Love it or hate it, no modern comic book has generated the critical acclaim that Moore and Gibbon's Watchmen has.

Will Watchmen work as a movie? I honestly don't know. I would say that the trailer and casting of the movie have left me feeling very optimistic so far but the pro's and con's are these:

Pros

• The subject matter is fascinating and unlike anything else yet brought to film in the super-hero genre
• The effects so far look spot on amazing. Some of the scenes look exactly like pages from the comic.
• I have been tremendously impressed with the look and feel of Snyder's last two films 300 and Dawn of the dead. 300 especially showed that he understands his target audience and how to translate static images to moving film.

Cons

• This movie ain't Spider-Man! The story is not forced forward by action scenes and is very wordy in many places. How this translates to film is anyones guess but I'll be surprised if Moore's prose can hold up under the medium change.
• The books is loooooong. I'm praying that the studio is willing to give Snyder the cut and running time he will need to include all the small moments that make the sum so much greater than the parts of this project. I ( and many others) always felt this movie would work better as a mini series. We'll see.

No matter what happens I applaud the effort. If the super hero genre is to last and grow more diverse movies like the Watchmen have to happen. Who watches the Watchmen? I will.

Watchmen official site

Best By Far pt.II - Omar: The Shows Over

As mentioned in the proceeding blog the wife and I went to the Omar concert at Sugarhill Friday night. What can I say: The brother was tremendous, even better than I expected! Omar performed a nice mix of his songs but seemed to stay mostly with his earlier work. Some of the highlights included "Music", "Winner", "Little Boy", "Outside", "Be Thankful", "Tell Me", "Saturday", "I'm Still Standing", "Ghana Emotion", and a show stopping cover of Roy Ayers "Everybody loves the Sunshine".The crowd moved and grooved to every song, sang every lyric!

As cool as the show was things even got better. A group of us headed over to Landmark Diner to grab a bite and discuss the show, this was cool and then we got a very "twilight zone" surprise. Omar himself came in.

As you can imagine, we were pleasantly shocked, after a moment we introduced ourselves to the man. What can I say, the brother was pure class. He posed for pictures, answered questions, and thanked us for supporting his music. After picking up his food he came back again to shake hands and say thanks again. Pure class ... best by far.

(One of the) Best By Far

Omar Lye-Fook.The Brit-funker has been blowing my mind since I picked up a CD import of his first release "There's Nothing Like This" from Atlanta CD (RIP) back in '91. As cool as that was, it didn't even begin to hint at how amazing his follow up disc "MUSIC" would be! The horns, the melodies, the VOICE. Like a handful of others around Atlanta I was asking "Who is this guy"?! For those in the know it almost seemed like Omar was a musical version of Fight Club: "The first rule of Fight club IS we don't talk about Fight Club".

The guy just kept dropping musical bombs on me and the faithful: 94's "For Pleasure", followed by 97's "This is Not a Love Song", 00's "Best By Far" ( perfectly titled by the way). I waited for him to blow up! And I waited. And Waited. Then I had a epiphany... this dudes music is beyond the corporate machine. He bobs and weaves , he counter punches, you can't predict him musically. He's a member of the old guard that puts the sound in front of the "product". He's a music lovers musician; he challenges like Prince or Miles. You stand still, he'll keep movin'.

Friday night, the wife and I will be checking the brother out at Underground Atlanta's Sugarhill. If you act right I may return with a review and a picture or two. Rest assured when he sings his latest single "Sing (if you want it)" we will!

Official Omar Web Site
Excellent article on Omar from Kick Mag.
Omar Biography/Discography from Allmusic.

Never Can Say Goodbye.

I'm almost at a loss for words. First the great Bernie Mac passing away at such a young age and now the legendary Isaac Hayes . For some reason the loss of the people with the gift to reach us through laughter and song REALLY hits home. Something about the silencing of that singular voice simply hurts. It also slams home a few issue with personal mortality that can be hard to examine.

You have heard the last Isaac Hayes song, the last Bernie Mac joke, the last Luther Vandross tune. It reminds us that we have or will soon hear the last from our own loved ones. That hurts. After the hurt though one has to focus on the moments...THE MOMENTS. That doesn't just apply to musicians or comedians that touched us but mostly to the people we actually know that touched us.

Never can say goodbye? You don't have. Remember them.

Update: Here are two excellent essays on Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes from The Root.com. Be sure to give a listen to this interview from NPR (recorded 7.28.94) "Remembering Soul Icon Isaac Hayes". Good stuff.

All he DID was catch touchdowns. All they DO is vote.

With the NFL about to finally put Art Monk into the Hall of Fame I'm reminded why I have so little respect for the Hall, it's voting membership, and specifically how they choose who goes in. The list of players that have waited far beyond a reasonable amount of time to be inducted is ridiculous. The rules state "a player and coach must have last played or coached at least five seasons before he can be considered". Fair enough.

Five years is a reasonable waiting period.Eight additional years on top of that for a player with Monk's credentials is insulting. He retired with more catches (940) than ANYONE in NFL history! ANYONE! It took the legendary Jerry Rice to break that record! You can't pull the winning card; the man has three Super Bowl wins. He did enough to make the NFL 80's all decade team. I suppose that's why the Hall voters made him wait almost a full decade to be recognized. There's almost a insane symmetry to that.

Now that Monk is finally in, it looks like it's part two of the "most deserving player to be denied induction" ( in baseball I call it the Andre Dawson Award). Introducing Cris Carter. You know Cris Carter right? The Cris Carter that is one of only four players ( Jerry Rice, Tim Brown, and Marvin Harrison are the other three) in NFL History with 1,000 or more receptions (he had 1,101). The Same Carter that is the only player EVER to record 120+ receptions in a season twice(1994 & 1995). He also catches touchdowns according to Buddy Ryan ( former Eagles Coach); only Jerry rice has more touchdown receptions than Carters 130 in league history. Oh almost forgot, he ( like Monk) also made an all decade team ( 90's).

This guy did not get elected on in his first year of eligibility. Same player that has the sixth highest receiving yards total (13,899) in NFL history. The case for Carter ( like for Monk and so many others) is overwhelming and frustrating. All I can say is anyone that could not put them in on their first year of eligibility is not deserving of the honor of being a HOF voter. All they did was catch touchdowns...all you have to do is open your eyes.
ESPN article on Carter's snub.
Hall of Fame Selection Process.





4 others that deserve the nod.

• Andre Reed WR eligible since '06

“Andre Reed was one of the greatest and most durable football players that I have ever coached. He excelled in every aspect of the game.”
Marv Levy Buffalo Bills coach

• Derrick Thomas OLB eligible since '05

“He gets slighted because even though he was noted more for sacks, he only did what he was asked to do. If he had to drop into coverage, he would drop into coverage. If he had to play the run, which he played very well, especially away from him, he played the run. If he was asked to rush the quarterback, which he was a lot of the time, he rushed the quarterback. He did a lot of things, but the sacks and forced fumbles create more attention than he did.”
Warren Moon HOF QB

• Ray Guy P eligible since '91

"Our offensive coaches wanted Ray Guy, our defensive coaches wanted Ray
Guy, and the head coach really wanted Ray Guy."
John Madden HOF Coach, Professional Sportscaster

• Terrell Davis RB eligible since '06
  

He was the best running back in football for at least two years. Remember that the Broncos -- and future Hall of Famer John Elway -- never won a Super Bowl until Davis arrived. He was the missing ingredient, and his presence impacted both the team and the NFL.
Dan Patrick ESPN Commentator

Marvel Super Hero movies you won't ever see part 1.

"life is sweet isn't it when you flirt with death? Excitement...beauty? But your not flirting...you're marrying death.Guaranteed. No refunds or exchanges."

Strike Force:Morituri by Peter B. Gillis & Brent Anderson.
Imagine the Earth invaded by marauding aliens. Imagine the Earth is losing badly. Now imagine you could make a difference. Volunteers are given the opportunity to undergo the "Morituri Process" that will give the individual a unique super power; the catch is that the process is fundamentally incompatible with the human body. EVERYONE that undergoes the process WILL die.

The Morituri Effect is completely unpredictable and the lifespan of the recipient is the same. You could live anywhere from minutes to a year. In effect, it's a death sentence. The drama in the series comes from examining the individual reasons anyone would volunteer for the process; patriotism, revenge, immortality, glory, loneliness, naivete' and so many other reasons.

The individual battles within are what makes the series so memorable: the atheist that's horrified that eternal damnation may be his reward for his lack of faith, the born leader that fears he'll die before he does anything to merit being remembered, the female Morituri that hopes to live long enough to deliver the baby she's carrying,and so many others. Compelling stuff.

Heavily reminiscent of "V" and countless other alien invasion movies Strike force:Morituri offers a fresh take ( almost 22 years after it's creation by the way). Sadly when Gillis and Anderson left the series the book plummeted in quality and was canceled. Joining the ranks of cult classics Strike Force is generally remembered fondly and hope for a movie version comes up from time to time. Rumor of a Sci fi channel series turned out to be false ( given sci fi's track record that may be a good thing).

A couple of reasons I don't think we'll see a Morituri movie:
The basic story is far more interesting in a episodic setting as opposed to a two hour movie. A Strike Force series ( possibly on HBO ) would be far better suited for the narrative...UNLESS Marvel had the balls to commit to a three picture deal. I doubt they would do that for an unproven and relatively unknown property.Another problem would be getting money for a project that almost demands young unknown actors to stay close to the main story point that the volunteers are between 17-21. Hollywood execs would laugh you out of the building if you requested big money for a three picture deal that included no bankable stars in leading roles.

This train "ain't gettin'" on the tracks

"...games of Deceit and Death"

Shang Chi Master of Kung Fu by Steve Englehart, Jim Starlin, Doug Moench, and Paul Gulacy.

A combination of Kung Fu action, 007 spy thrills , and pulp comic villains; it's safe to say that comic book readers had never seen a comic quite like Shang Chi Master of Kung Fu before.What it lacked in originality it more than made up for in a skillful blending of the aforementioned genre's. The basic plot revolves around a core group of British MI 6 agents:Black Jack Tarr (bigoted but heroic tough guy), Clive Reston (who may or may not be the son of the legendary James Bond), Leiko Wu (the beautiful Chinese-British female agent), and Shang Chi (son of the evil would be world conqueror, Fu Manchu).

Both the villainous Fu Manchu and Sir Denis Nayland were key characters created by Sax Rohmer in 1912. Marvel having purchased the rights to Rohmers work decided to mix the key protagonist, Sir Denis Nayland Smith, antagonist, Fu Manchu with their own creation Shang Chi; thus Shang was introduced as the son of Fu Manchu. Raised to be the ultimate assassin by his father, Shang Chi, later turns his back on his father after having his true evil nature revealed to him by Sir Denis. Although disgusted by the "Games of Deceit and Death" involved in the espionage world he is involved in, he decides to join the fight against his father.

Coming straight out of the early 70's Kung Fu craze created by the legendary Bruce Lee, Shang Chi was basically a carbon copy of the "little dragon" but under the skillful hands of Steve Englehart and Jim Starlin and later by the team of Doug Moench and Paul Gulacy he became so much more. Running for over 125 issues the original series has attained cult status with fans including many that were not even born when Shang Chi debuted in Marvel Special Edition 15 back in 1972.

Although never popular on the level of the "big guns" like Spider-Man, Batman or even Daredevil, the character has maintained a presence in the Marvel universe to this day ( Moench and Gulacy even reunited to do a 5 issue limited series a few years ago). Unfortunately, due to Marvel no longer owning the rights to Sax Rohmer's characters, Fu Manchu and Sir Denis Nayland Smith can no longer be used by name in any new stories. This legal entanglement AND possible interpretations of racism by people understandably offended by the Fu Manchu character are the main reasons I sincerely doubt this character will ever make it to the big screen, at least as we know him. Our loss. I for one would love to see these "games of Deceit and Death" played out on the big screen.

IMDB (The Internet Movie Data Base) lists a Shang Chi movie in the plans for 2009 but I'll believe it when I see it at the theater. Considering another Martials Arts Marvel character, Iron Fist, has been in development for years I think you would have to be incredibly optimistic to believe we will see "deadly hands" next year. If we do see it, will it have all the elements that make the character so interesting or will it be just another martial arts movie with great action and no plot? I'm betting it'll come up short...way short.

I'm begging Marvel to prove me wrong.

Short interview with series co-creator Steve Englehart
Excellent series overview at Toonopedia

The Star of A Story.

You may not know the name but you know the voice. It's one of those special ones that could belt out a classic ballad or blow you away with searing dance funk. Johnnie Wilder Jr. could do it all. As the lead singer of the seminal 70's band, Heatwave, Wilder blasted out classic after classic: "Mind Blowing Decisions", "Happiness Togetherness", "Boogie Nights", "Star of the Story", "Ain't No Have Steppin", "Groove line", and many others including possibly the all time baby making jam, "Always and Forever".

Together with song writing machine, Rod Temperton, and Keith Wilder ( brother and co lead vocalist ) it seemed like Heatwave was well on their way until one of those terrible moments that happens to famous and regular folk alike... happened. In 1979 Wilder was involved in a car accident when his rental car was struck by a van on his way home to his native Dayton, Ohio. Wilder was paralyzed from the neck down.

Johnnie Wilder Jr would spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.

Johnnie, to his credit, refused to let his disability and bad fortune beat him. He stayed with his group and continued to sing on studio tracks for a few more albums ( even traveling with the band, although not performing live). In what had be a bittersweet opportunity, Wilder would turn out to be a friend and confidant for Teddy Pendergrass when he was forced to deal with a similar injury just three years later.

From all reports he found a relationship with God that gave him the strength to lead a full life and even stay involved in music as a producer of acapella gospel and teaching students about the music industry at Ohio Central State University since 1994. He passed away in his sleep at the age of 56 at his home May 13th 20o6.

Heatwave and Johnnie Wilder Jr in particular have been a "what if" scenario that has often popped up in my mind when talking about classic music groups. What if a few of those Rod Temperton written songs from Michael Jacksons solo work had went to Johnnie and the Heatwave instead? "Rock with you", "Off the Wall",and "Thriller" all potentially could have been Heatwave songs; I definitely would have loved to hear Johnnies version of "The Lady in My Life" off of Thriller. What if.

What if Johnnie Wilder Jr never got in that accident? What if Hendrix never overdoses on sleeping pills? What if Sam Cooke never goes into that hotel? What if Otis Redding never got in that plane? What if.

You could go crazy thinking about all these "what ifs" for people you don't even know, for that matter you could for those you know intimately. A hard fact of life is that everyones lives are marked with these seminal events whether it happens to us or just the ones we love.

Wilder will be remembered by his family members for far better reasons than his musical artistry, that is a fact. However, for those of us that did not know him but appreciate pure talent, his voice will be remembered "Always and Forever".

Johnnie Wilder Jr Official Bio
Online Funeral Guest Book for Johnnie Wilder
Rod Temperton Article

You've changed things... forever. There's no going back.

I took the day off to go see the Dark Knight. I did it for you the imaginary readers of this blog. My spoiler free review goes as follows:

All the hype, praise, and kudos regarding this project are deserved. Simply put, this is the finest Super-Hero movie ever crafted. I'll go one level higher: It is the best Batman story told in any format (including, movies, tv, novels, comic books, cave walls, and camp fire stories) this fan has come in contact with. Every aspect of the characters was spot on. Batman and Commissioner Gordan did what men of character do in trying times ...what ever they have to do. Harvey Dent struggled valiantly against the criminal element of Gotham and tried to be a shining example of justice. Lucius Fox and Alfred Pennyworth provide sage wisdom to our war weary Dark Knight at every turn. The Joker ....hmmmm.

The Joker ...the Joker is the embodiment of anarchy and mayhem. Ledger's performance as the clown prince of crime was beyond disturbing. Every moment he is on screen you'll feel uncomfortable wondering what will this psychopath do next. "Some men just want to watch the world burn". Indeed.

The Dark Knight boldly goes where no other super-hero movie has ever come close. Marvel had the opportunity but badly fumbled the final fate of Gwen Stacy and Harry Osborn in Spider-Man as well as the epic Dark Phoenix storyline from X-men. Long time comic book fans will know exactly what I'm talking about, unfortunately fans of only the movie versions of these characters will not, ignorance is a bliss i suppose. Not necessary in this case.

The Dark Knight takes full advantage of it's chance and we're better entertained for it. The bar has been raised and I really can't wait to see if the big two ( Marvel Comics & DC comics ) will have the nerve to take it to another level. You see, Heath Ledger, Christian Bale, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, the Nolan brothers, and everyone involved with this project ... well to quote the Joker, "You've changed things... forever. There's no going back"!

It's all part of the plan...

With the ultra realistic Gotham news reports online, the numerous websites containing top flight information, the nationwide scavenger hunts, and the brilliant print and video ads can anything stop the Dark Knight?

http://www.whysoserious.com/
http://www.ccfabg.org/
http://www.acmesecuritysystems.com/
http://www.ibelieveinharveydent.com/
http://www.gothampolice.com/
http://www.gpdmcu.com/

Unfortunately the Joker seems to have vandalized all these sites as well as the super cool movie posters above. Seems crazy to me but like the man said:
"It's all part of the plan".

Some of my best friends are ...

The New Yorker depicts Barack Obama as a muslim extremist ( not to mention his wife as a gun toting zealot). A ( ALLEGED) inbred bar owner, Mike Norman, in Georgia sells t-shirts depicting the presidential candidate as curious George ( a monkey for those of you that are not familiar with the adventures of our simian friend). John McLaughlin ( host of the McLaughlin group) calls Obama a oreo. Yes, that's right a 69 year old white man called him a oreo ...THAT is must see t.v. Ralph Nader first questions Obama's credentials as a black man by calling him "half African-American" and then explains that Barack is "talking white" ( as opposed to just talking shi*t I guess).

Hmmm does race seem to be issue in this?

That was sarcasm.

Speaking about silent protest.

Last night I was reading S.I.s "Where are they now issue",when I came upon a story about John Carlos. Which is to say it was really a story about John Carlos and Tommie Smith, two athletes that are linked historically probably as much as any other pair in history. If you don't know the names you undoubtedly know the picture taken at the 1968 Olympics. The image of Carlos and Smith, shoeless, heads bowed and black gloved fists defiantly raised in the Mexico City air was seared across the world consciousness of that era. Life Magazine actually declared it one of the 20 most influientel images of the 20th Century.

In the S.I. article both men take credit for creating the symbolic gesture of both human and civil rights that night. One thing they both agree on is the turmoil that rocked both their lives immediately after they left the podium. Both Carlos and Smith were given 48 hours to leave Mexico City. Both were welcomed back to the United States with death threats. Both were ostracized and unable to find work. The pressure on Carlos led to a separation and the eventual suicide of his wife, Kim.

Through the years both were able to put their lives back together but a rift developed between the two. The details on both sides are long and at time seem somewhat petty in light of all that's happened since 1968, basically Carlos has went on record saying that he let Smith win the race. For his part Smith has questioned Carlos credentials as a Hall of Fame athlete and considers him far to talkative.

Ironically, two men that united to "speak" in silent protest of the injustice being heaped on their people by their country now no longer speak to each other. There's a sad lesson in this somewhere.

One more footnote to the story:

In 2006 they were forced to get together to serve as pall bearers for Peter Norman, the "other fella" on the stand that day in Mexico City. Norman, to his credit, knew what the two had planned and still stood unwavering by them. That might not seem like much these days but consider that journalist (Brent Musburger specifically)compared Carlos and Smith to "Black Skinned Nazi's". Both men spoke glowingly of Norman and stood side by side while carrying the coffin.

Only they know if anything was said to each other.

UPDATE:
At the 2008 ESPY Awards Carlos and Smith were presented with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. John Carlos took a moment from his speech to address the rift between himself and Smith that has been reported widely:

“I think it was a very important issue to bring up, talking about the unity and love we have each other and tried to expound to the world.To have this divide, and have people think this divide is greater than the energy we created on the victory stand, this is not what I'm looking for. We're trying to have this love and harmony and unity for the sake of ourselves and of the world. They focus more on the pettiness than they do on the goodness.”

It was nice and inspiring to hear and see them together, confronting this issue ( even if only Carlos spoke). While watching this magnanimous statement I really had a feeling Carlos was speaking far more to his old friend Smith than to those of us watching.

At least I hope so.

Not the nuts Jesse!!

Every time I start to think I have seen or heard about every bizarre behavior that mankind has to offer I get unpleasantly reminded that "you ain't seen nuthin' yet". Case in point, the Reverend Jesse Jackson stating ( off the record mind you) that he would like to "cut his nuts off" referring to Presidential hopeful, Barack Obama. To be perfectly honest I was stunned, for a number of reasons. Let us list the ways:

1. Stunned that a so called man of the cloth would say something so vile even IF he thought he was in a private conversation.
2. Stunned that a black "man" could muster that much venom towards another that is trying to do something of such historic significance.
   
3. Stunned that what appears to be nothing more than jealousy spurred on Reverend Jackson, not to mention Reverend Wright to harbor this type of hostility towards Obama. Reverend Jackson...Reverend Wright...hmmm ... Reverend Wright...Reverend Jackson. Do you notice a trend or is it just me?

With all do respect It's time for you so called "spiritual" leaders to take a step in the direction of a mirror for little self evaluation. Perhaps the nuts that need to be on the chopping block are little closer to home than you would like to admit.

Okay but who's 26th?

I know, I know. I was thinking the same thing you are: "Ebony this is a very cool, listing the top 25 coolest brothers of all time but you seem to have dropped the ball. WHERE'S J.D. ?". Am I upset? Nah, I'm too cool for that.

Go over to Ebony and vote for the coolest brother ( it would be nice if you vote me into the ballot, actually it would be nice if my wife would just stop laughing at the idea).

Absolutely, Positively, Fearless.

I want to introduce you to somebody. He's a friend of mine and once you meet him, he's sure to be a friend of yours. Ladies and Gentlemen meet Fearless, Fearless Jones. Fearless is unquestionably the baddest black man walking the streets of Los Angeles since Raymond "Mouse" Alexander. If you don't know Mouse that might be for the best. People that "knew" Mouse have a way of ending up dead. The same could be said for Fearless but at least he'll feel bad about.

Both characters mentioned above are from the mystery fiction of the great Walter Mosley. Featured in the best selling "Easy Rawlins Mysteries" and the "Fearless Jones Mysteries". The Easy Rawlins books are more well known ( partially due to the outstanding movie adaptation of the first book in the series featuring Denzel Washington and Don Cheadle), they include "Devil in Blue Dress"(1991), "A Red Death"(1991), "White Butterfly"(1992), "Black Betty"(1994), "A Little Yellow Dog" (1996), "Gone Fishin"(1997), "Bad Boy Brawly Brown"(2002), "Six Easy Pieces"(2003), "Little Scarlet"(2004), "Cinnamon Kiss"(2005), and "Blonde Faith"(2007). The Fearless Jones books include "Fearless Jones" (2001), "Fear Itself" (2003), and "Fear of the Dark"(2006). To say they are classics is a borderline understatement.

These books are pure noir. Hard living, two fisted, detective novels from the same cloth as Raymond Chandler ... with one major difference. The hero's of Mosley's novels are black in a time when America considered that enough of a crime to find a man guilty. Mosley blends the genre with equal parts pessimism and hope for future. To qout Easy himself "A man once told me that you step out of your door in the morning, and you are already in trouble. The only question is are you on top of that trouble or not?".

Amen to that brother.

Powell Books Interview with Walter Mosley
NPR Interview with Walter Mosley