A Small Glimmer of Hope For Black Women and Girls That Still Love Hip Hop!

There is a tiny sliver of hope for women and hip hop! There are a couple of youngstas on the scene that deserve your support and attention. Meet Lil' Mama and Kid Sister!

Please remember that both of these extremely talented young ladies are still pretty young, so their lyrics reflect their age group, but they both can spit creative rhymes something serious!

If black women and girls really want to change the female image of women in hip hop, we must start locating, supporting, and celebrating positive alternatives. I have just introduced two wonderful prospects. Don't let them down!

Additional note -

I am a professor of history, principally African American, Sports, and American History, but I also teach courses on black popular culture, principally Rap Music and Hip Hop Culture, and Film.

I am always on the lookout for female rappers - hit me on my blogger e-mail if you have anyone in mind. I may just give them a shout-out on this blog!

Read more...

Professor Tracey's Top Ten Rules To Combat The Black Women's Marriage Crisis In 2008

I offer these not-exactly-simple-to-follow rules from the bottom of my heart. Call it tough love if you want to. Don't get mad if you think I'm hitting a little to close to home, change your behavior. Be honest with yourself, if you have been violating the rules, stop it! If you have a girlfriend or family member violating the rules, tell them to stop it! Do not support their bad behavior. No more excuses. If you want love, do right! We keep making it harder on ourselves and each other by engaging in the same negative behaviors in our most intimate relationships and then tearing our hearts out because things didn't work out.

I have never been a woman very interested in marriage, but I do enjoy being in love and in a relationship. I can completely understand each and every sister that longs for a family of her own. I have put men, particularly black men on the shelf for a long minute because I didn't have room in my life for the drama, but in 2008, I intend to get back in the "love game" with a renewed vigor. Take these rules as a collective from my own personal experience in my own life, the experiences of my female friends, sorors, female family and church members, and very public incidents from other black women in your wild and wacky black community.

Help End The Marriage Crisis - The Ladies Rules

1) Stop Lying! Tell the truth about your age, your weight, your education, your hair weave, your jacked-up credit, your over-bearing mama, and how many kids you have. I am sick and tired of women whining about being loved for "the real me" and then watch them lie through their teeth about EVERYTHING they really are. If you can't trust someone enough to tell them the truth about yourself, you have clearly have not found the right person for you! And lying by omission is still lying! I can guarantee, any secret you're keeping or any lie you tell is going to eventually come to light!

2) Don't Get Involved With Committed Folk! A married man is exactly that, a married man, that's it, that's all. No excuses! Run! Men with girlfriends are off limits as well. No excuses! Run! Men who claim to be single and have a female "roommate" need to be checked and double-checked for possible commitments. If you are too frightened or unskilled to discover a man's marital or relationship status, hire a detective and have him run his credit and do a criminal background check as well. Cover all the bases!!!

3) Stop Wasting Folks Time! Don't give your number to a brotha you don't really like or are not interested in. You are making it harder for the next sista that might actually like that fool you are stringing along! Don't go out on dates because you hungry, want to see the latest Tyler Perry movie, or you're just plain bored. Put your efforts into folks you really dig and want to spend your valuable time with!

4) Dating and Sex is not a monetary transaction! Your ass is not an ATM, stop acting like it is. Don't exchange sexual favors to pay your rent, pay your bills, or to get your hair and nails done. Whenever I hear black women complaining "how did that brother think I was going to have sex with him because he bought somebody's dinner?" I always think, you did! Dating is a mutual act of personal engagement, it is not an opportunity to improve your financial situation.

5) Stop Being Mammy! Don't let no man drive your car, use your computer, eat your food, watch your cable, stay at your crib, use your AAA card, talk on your cellphone, use your washer and dryer, use your credit card, and under no circumstances DO NOT CO-SIGN for anything or LOAN MONEY! You are not the Red Cross, Salvation Army, or the Fred Jordan Mission, its not your responsibility to "mother" or "take care" of the individual you are dating! And never, never ever put any man's needs or wants, before those of yourself and your children!

6) Don't Make Compromises! That is compromises you can't or won't live with just to have a man in your life. If you like going to church, dating a man that doesn't like church, could be a problem. If you are a family-oriented person and the man you dating is not, that is never going to work! If you like reading, movies, and travel and you met a man that doesn't read, go to movies or travel, maybe you should leave him alone. And a golden gem from my own mother, "Dump any man that does not celebrate birthdays or holidays!"

7) Make No Excuses For Abuses! Anytime a man gets abusive; emotionally, verbally, or physically, IT'S OVER! Get Out! Yesterday! It's going to happen again, you cannot change him!I do not want to read about another black woman being assaulted, raped, or murdered by an abusive partner in 2008!

8) Relationships Are Hard! Having a boyfriend can be difficult, I imagine having a husband requires the patience of Job! Any relationship is going to require hard work on your part. So, stop acting like a relationship or marriage will be the savior of your life, its just something else you going to have to work hard to maintain like a career.

9)Be More Sisterly! Stop being consumed with finding a man or being with the man you're with. Build and maintain your friendships with your girlfriends. Men rarely dump their buddies even when they have girlfriends or wives. Yet, black women vanish on their girlfriends in a second when a man is around. And I don't mean "girl, you'll find a man too" support, but keeping up with them and their lives regularly, not after your relationship breaks up!

10) Be Independent! Being truly independent is not just paying your own bills and taking care of yourself, it means finding something to do - by yourself and for yourself! Do something different, do something you have never done before. Stop whining and get involved. Volunteer! Go to the gym! Plan a trip! Use your brain! Read a book! Go the museum! Go back to school! I am shocked at the number of black women that cannot entertain themselves or do absolutely anything by themselves. It's your life, live it! There is no guarantee that you will ever have a man of your own. Don't waste valuable time waiting!

Read more...

Marriage Is For White People - Revisited

There has been an interesting discussion going over at SheCodes awesome new blog, Black Women Vote about the different issues facing black women and how these issues can be challenged and changed in 2008. One "hot-button" issue was the "marriage crisis" of black women. She is planning an extended series on the subject, so get your thinking cap on about ways this issue can be tackled and improved. And while you're thinking, do a little research and read Joy James' excellent article, Marriage is for White People.

Now, while I strongly agreed with many of the excellent comments made about how the lack of positive and committed relationships between black men and women are having a tremendous negative impact on the state of the black family and that black women do deserve loving and supportive partners and additionally, the opportunity if they chose to become loving and nurturing mothers as well, but I just could not help but feel more than a little disappointed, frustrated, irritated, weary, and angry about the discussion.

I admit that this a serious issue, but I can't keep but think -

HOW IN THE HELL DID THIS SO-CALLED "MARRIAGE CRISIS" BECOME THE SOLE PROBLEM OF BLACK WOMEN?

If a whole lot of black women are single, and never married, then aren't a whole lot of black men equally single and unmarried as well? Why isn't it a "marriage crisis" for them? Why isn't anyone criticizing black men about "being too picky" or "unwilling to settle for a single black woman with children" or "afraid of black women who have more education or make more money than they do?" Why isn't anyone telling black men how much they are "missing" by not being husbands and become fathers? Why isn't anyone telling black men that their lives are incomplete with a spouse and children?

Why aren't black male preachers telling black men to pray for more self-esteem, more education, and improved character in order to attract black women? Why aren't these same preachers telling black men not to lay down in the bed with anyone they are not intending to marry? Why aren't black male preachers telling black men to get a haircut, pull up their pants, learn how to have an adult conversation (not coversate, but converse!) and to stop using black women to supplement and mainstain their "playa, playa" lifestyles?

Please spare me the political commentaries, black history lessons, and psychological lectures on why black men are not challenged about their single status and their failures to commit. I already know quite well the fake reasons and ghetto passes black men have been given for not becoming husbands and fathers. My point is that I am sick of carrying burdens that all black folks should carry together! If we are not going to change the tone, the language, and the responsibilities of this "marriage crisis" debate, leave me out of it.

Read more...

The HBCU Blues II - Paine College

Paine College in Augusta, Georgia is struggling financially just like many other HBCU's. Unlike some HBCU's they have just hired a new president that seems to have an aggressive plan to get the college out of debt. Good luck to new Paine College President George C. Bradley. Thanks for to Symphony for the scoop on Paine College.

Read more...

Professor Tracey's Phrase Book

This new Professor Tracey's phrase was inspired by my blogging sista, Mes Deux Cents. She has offered up a brand new and highly insightful definition for all the misogynistic and sexist men in the world, particularly those involved in rap music and hip hop culture. "Faux - Heterosexual." Please see her wonderful blog for the entire definition. It struck me and a couple of her commenter's that a definition was now needed for the women that allow themselves to be used like a modern day Hottentott Venus - a silent, hyper-sexualized, and disposable pawn featured in the numerous and endless procession of hip hop videos and songs that negatively depict African American women. I offer the following new phrase and definition in response.

Gender Turncoat - Pronunciation - [jen-der] [turn-koht] - noun

A woman who willing engages or continuously participates in actions, behaviors, and attitudes that negatively portrays women, particularly African American women as helpless, mindless, and spineless, gold-digging, over-sexed fembots or female crash test dummies.

A gender turncoat is only out for herself, completely disregarding that her words and actions have a negative impact and lasting influence on numerous others. Additionally, this kind of woman can be regularly counted upon to side against her own gender, particularly when any opportunity arises to make money or earn notorious fame.

The cause of gender turncoatism is the single-minded false belief that selling your mind, body, and soul is perfectly acceptable and understandable as long as you "got paid" or "was doing what I had to do" or "got mines" or "handled my bidness."

Maybe used in the plural form (gender turncoats) to describe the endless parade of women lining up to be exploited in music videos, reality television shows, and modern blaxploitation feature films.

A gender turncoat is often a crossover or multiple offenders in terms of working overtime to bring down the female gender. This kind of woman will accept any kind of behavior from a man, no matter how abusive, derogatory, heart-breaking, insulting, humiliating, or unhealthy that man’s particular behavior, habit or action maybe. See the blog What About Our Daughters for information on the continuing Concubine Conspiracy.

Gender Turncoats have become a unfortunate phenomenon in the black community because of our addictive habit of celebrating shallow materialistic values and "get rich quick" plans over strong moral character and "slow and steady wins the race" ideals.

It is extremely difficult and virtually impossible for a gender turncoat to see that her actions have a negative impact or effect on the lives of other women. They will often present themselves under the guise of being “a strong black woman” but the truth is they are more depend upon the resources and services of other people than any other woman in the world.

Read more...

The HBCU Blues - Fisk University

Fisk University is in some deep financial trouble. They need to get the Fisk Jubilee Singers back on the road earning money for the college's coffers. Fisk is currently battling in the courts for the right to sell a portion of the university's art collection that was donated to them by artist, Georgia O'Keeffe. I am extremely troubled that a historically black institution would have to resort to looting it's own resources in order to raise money.

Where are the black alumni of Fisk University? Why isn't the university lobbying to have the campus named a historically protected site? Fisk is the home of numerous educational firsts, including being the first HBCU to earn a Phi Beta Kappa charter. Why aren't HBCU's working together to develop strategies to improve their financial stability as well as their overall institutional survival? Black folk need to start paying attention the academic and financial battles currently being fought on HBCU's across the nation. I have numerous issues with HBCU's, but I love the African American traditions that are built and nurtured on those campuses and HBCU's still remain the only opportunity for many African Americans to get a college education.

Fisk University alumni, Dr. W.E.B. DuBois has got to be shaking his fists and shouting down at the university's administration from the heavens above.

Read more...

Get Out Ya Shredders!

Today in New York City, folks had the opportunity to physically and I believe emotionally shred to pieces bad memories from the past year or from their past memory banks period. What an awesome idea! Entirely too many people are completely paralyzed in their everyday lives because they cannot move forward from the past. Are you hampered by bad memories or negative events from the past? No more! Get ya shredder out girls and boys and sent those bad boys to paraphrase Ms. Millie Jackson - to the trashcan of your memories!!!

Read more...

Mad At Oprah

Apparently, some members of Oprah's core audience are extremely upset and angry with her strong support of Senator Barack Obama's quest for the presidency. The message boards at Oprah's website are buzzing with negative criticism directed at the talk show diva as well as the presidential candidate.

Just taking a quick peek at the message boards, Oprah is being accused of everything from "being a traitor" to "pushing Obama down our throats." A number of the original message threads and the follow-up comments are borderline offensive or flat-out racist. Charges of playing up to the black race, affirmative action favoritism, and unfounded accusations of Obama of being a radical Muslim or terrorist were just a small sample.

Oprah is an extremely intelligent and savvy woman, I'm sure she anticipated the negative backlash, but I have to wonder even more about the realities of a black man winning the presidency in the United States. Oprah's audience is primarily white middle America, who seemed perfectly happy when Oprah was just hawking books, movies, and other mass produced products. Yet, when she puts her name, money, and media clout behind a black man for president, she's a traitor or a sell-out?

I am not naive either, I too expected some backlash for Oprah and Obama, but I can’t help but wonder if her same core audience would have been so upset if she had put the same efforts behind Hilary Clinton? I also wonder about the same folks that profess so much love for Oprah, but can spit out racist comments about Obama without batting an eye.

Read more...

Over For Me In '08

I have had enough of black men pretending to be black women. These kind of portrayals of black women has moved millions of miles away past comedic parody a long, long, time ago. I am really hoping that Tyler Perry will retire the Madea character and I never wish to see Martin Lawrence's Big Momma or Norbit's Rasputia ever again.

I have rarely found these characters funny and considering the startling lack of quality parts for black women, I am shocked that black women continuously support movies featuring these heavily stereotypical depictions. For me, these modern black mammy images are just as problematic as certain images of black women in hip hop music.

Please do not e-mail me or make comments defending these characters and these movies. You are welcome to your movie choices. I just want you to remember that if you support these kind of characters, then you are also supporting characters like Shirley Q. Liquor, who is monstrously unfunny, racist, and sexist! Check out Ms. Liquor's live performances on youtube. Ha, Ha, Hell!

Remember it's always a slippery slope. Black men making fun of black women moves quickly into white men making fun of us as well. You chose, I have.

Read more...

Be More Like Benazir Bhutto

Former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto was assassinated today. She was a brave woman that loved her homeland. She believed in her nation and it's people so strongly that she willingly risked her personal freedom and ultimately her own life to try an lead them to a better existence. She was the first woman elected to serve as national leader of a Muslim country. Bhutto was a dedicated and highly educated woman as well as a wife and a mother of three.


The numerous reasons for her assassination will be argued and debated for many years to come, but one reason is already clear. One of the reasons she was murdered was because she was a woman that dared to stand up and be heard. She challenged authority and that is still an extremely dangerous thing for any woman to do. Unlike Bhutto, we live in very different country than hers. Our shame is that we have not been as brave and self-sacrificing as she was willing to be.

In my opinion, 2008 is shaping up to be an extremely crucial year for African American women. We must find the courage, energy, and strength to stand up and express our views loudly and clearly. I realize that standing up and speaking up as an individual can be a daunting task, but we have no choice. The black community is in turmoil and is moving very rapidly to a serious point of no return. We live in a nation where we have the right to say whatever we please, whenever we please. So, stop fronting and start doing something, anything to help.

Read more...

The Willie Lynch Letter - Reality or Hoax?

As much as I enjoyed The Great Debaters, I was completely horrified more than once as a professor of American and African American History. Watching the young students in the film study and prepare for their debates, I could not help but think how many people in the audience had actually even heard of Ghandi's principal of non-violence or even read Henry David Thoreau's poetry. I left the movie theater with the hope that many folks exposed to the film would be inspired to learn more about the numerous historical and literary references made in the film.

Yet, I was completely taken aback with the early scene where the Willie Lynch letter was very prominently and strongly mentioned. The Willie Lynch letter has been virtually discounted in most educational circles and the origins of the term "lynching" has been historically traced and credited to others. I forgave the filmmakers because belief about Willie Lynch and his speech was heavily believed in the 1930s and Dr. Melvin Tolson might have actually used the Lynch speech as a teaching tool.

Thinking about it later, I reminded myself of the power of media and how many people accept what they are told without asking any questions. I'm not trying to convince anyone of anything, but I strongly encourage people to do their own investigation. Read the letter for yourself. After reading the letter, take a look at Spelman College professor William Jelani Cobb writing about the letter being an inventive hoax.

For myself I have alway been curious as to why so many black people want to readily and willingly believe in something they have never seen nor experienced. Why does belief in the negative principles of the Willie Lynch letter remain so strong? Is it easier to believe that some white man in the extremely distant past had such an enormous impact on the future of Black America or is it too hard for us to believe that in too many different ways that black people have let one another down?

Read more...

Support Black Films - The Great Debators

Actor Denzel Washington's latest directorial effort, The Great Debaters may or not be a great classic film, I will leave that decision to other moviegoers, but it certainly is a good one. It is an old-fashioned film with traditional moral messages and hard-hitting life lessons. All the acting performances are top notch, particularly Oscar winner Forest Whitaker and all the young actors portraying the Wiley College debaters. As the strict and highly committed Professor Melvin Tolson, Denzel Washington gives a reserved, but solid presentation.

As director, Washington delivers a family-friendly holiday film purposely meant to appeal to a mass audience. The Great Debaters is a visual history lesson that offers passionate and positive portrayals of African Americans working together to achieve a worthwhile and long-lasting triumph. While not a perfect film, The Great Debaters like The Pursuit of Happyness or Talk To Me gives Africans Americans something to talk about, something to be proud of, and something to share with each other....if only for a short while.

Additionally, if you saw The Great Debaters already, you like myself, suffered through the positively awful film previews. Hollywood clearly prefers to portray African Americans in the same repetitive and stereotypical modern-day coonfests that too many black actors and actresses seem all too willing to appear in.

Do black folks need to see Ice Cube in another buddy picture as one half of an irresponsible, feeble-minded, and bumbling duo, willing to rob a church to solve their financial problems? Do black folk really need to see to a female version of Stomp the Yard, especially one that seems to suggest that mastering stepping will deliver you from a hard life in the hood? Do black folk need to see any film by Martin Lawrence at all, particularly one with the additional treat of Mo'nique continuing her trend of playing overweight, loud-mouthed, and violent black women? Aren't black folk bored with these cookie-cutter crap films?

If African Americans truly desire to see different presentations of black life, we must get behind films like The Great Debaters with our pocketbooks and boycott negative portrayals of black people in movies with our absence in the theaters. We must cease buying bootleg movie copies and go see black films when they are first released. We must support young and talented black actors like Nate Parker, Denzel Whitaker, and Jurnee Smollett, looking out for their next film projects. We must support veteran black actors as they spread their wings in other areas such as directing. It does not matter how many Oscars black actors win, if their chances to have diverse acting roles and opportunities remains limited and narrow.

Read more...