Love Is In The Air: And the Hottest Couple in the Game Is….

Lots of love is definitely in the air this spring…I don’t remember a time when there was so much Black Star Power Coupledom going on. I’m digging this new relationship/commitment trend, since I think the whole glorified playa/mack thing is hella played out. So…I decided to dedicate a post to the lovebirds. First up…

Nelly and Ashanti have kept a really low “couple” profile…and they definitely seem more like a publicity couple than the real thing…but they still look cute together. They were spotted out the other night having dinner.

Rihanna and Chris Brown were spotted getting extra cozy at KFC of all places! I think these two make a super cute couple, and they are definitely the hottest young couple on the scene.

Jay-Z and Beyonce (aka Mr. & Mrs. Carter) were partying it up a few days ago at Jay-Z’s 40/40 club. I’m wondering if and when the wedding pics are going to come out and and if when they will start wearing their wedding rings.

Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon stepped out in their first public appearance as a couple/husband and wife last night. They actually make a cute couple and they definitely take the crown for the most talked about celebrity couple right now. Everyone wants to know…is it real? Is it fake? I read the People mag article and they sounded head over heels in love. I’m a sucker for love, so I hope for the best for both of them.

So, who takes the hottest couple in the game crown for now?

Take our poll: Who is the hottest couple in the game?

Click here to vote

Posted by Reecie

Who Is Watching: Viva Hollywood

One of my newest guilty pleasures in reality tv is VH1’s “Viva Hollywood“. The show is a competition to become the next telenovela star. “Viva Hollywood” is highly entertaining and very competitive. Every week the cast competes in themed challenges and one person is killed off after competing in “el duelo”. I don’t know much about telenovelas or Latin stars, so it’s always interesting to get a glimpse into the world of Latin entertainment with the guest stars that appear on the show. Of course there is a lot of drama, especially with the arrogant Vinci and the ladies man Berto (who actually who supposedly has a long term girlfriend back home). If you haven’t checked out this show, it comes on Sundays at 10 on VH1.

Have you seen the show? Who is your favorite person on the show? Who do you think will win?

Posted by Reecie

Santogold

What happens when a college educated woman from the streets of Philadelphia studies Caribbean and West African drumming?

In 2002, Santogold produced, wrote, and arguably inspired the vision behind Res’s cult classic – “How I Do.” (Sidebar: Her concert last week was not impressive because the band played the same reggae ska beat on the 5 songs performed).

In 2008, Santogold’s release her self-titled debut, which is the arguably the perfect blend of new wave, electronica, rock, hip-hip drums, punk, and rhythm.

This is a partially biased review because I loved “How I Do.” “L.E.S. Artistes” (video above) is an example how she takes “How I Do” to the next level.

At times, it may have sound like Santogold took a page out of M.I.A.’s “Kala” album. For instance, her American single “The Creator” could have easily been performed by either artist. This isn’t a bad thing…I simply compare it to how R&B producers and writers work with the same artists (think The Dream, Ne-Yo, etc.) to spread their sound. It’s good to see the same trends are appearing in the evolving genre of mash-up world music. “The Creator” may be too much for American audiences, but her reggae influenced “Shove It” has the potential to catch a spark.

Popmatters.com stated that the production crews included “snowboarders, electronic and dub-based producers like Squeeze and Diplo and sounding like what happens when London, Jamaica, Brooklyn, Philly and an old school Hindi film soundtrack explode out of a Nintendo set, Santogold’s self-titled first album is ska resurrected, punk retooled, drum and base repossessed and pop reborn.” Please come with an open mind…Santogold receives thehonorable’s seal of approval.

MySpace - http://www.myspace.com/santogold

How does the HM audience feel about this emerging genre of music? How does Santogold’s sound resonate with you? Do you appreciate something different from the saturated hip-hop/R&B world? What do you think of the songs posted above?

Posted by thehonorable

Open Thread: Speak Your Mind

Hey HM readers…it’s time for another Open thread. Post whatever is on your mind…gossip, music, videos, thoughts about life…etc. Just make sure you keep it work safe!

I’ll start it off…the only thing that is really on my mind right now is getting a chicken caesar wrap for lunch. Seriously…Thursday is my favorite day of the week simply because my job’s cafeteria has the best chicken caesar wraps in the world and I can only get them on Thursdays. So as soon as the clock strikes 11, I’ll be hightailing myself down to get my wrap, cookie, and a Coke. lol. And yes I am aware of how corny that makes me for looking forward to this every week, but it’s cool to be corny sometimes.

Posted by Reecie

HM Marks the 40th Anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s Death

 Today, the country marks the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. There are so many ways to remember the spirit and legacy of Dr. King and to take even more note of the profound sacrifice Dr. King made in his pursuit of justice and equality, none of which truly does him any justice. I take this anniversary extra personally, because this morning I couldn’t help but contrast his sacrifice with the complete and utter refusal of so many to sacrifice even the smallest things to make this world a better place. As a society we have become so complacent and we go about life as usual while others pollute the country with negativity and hatred.

When you contrast Dr. King’s voice and message with some of the most prominent Black men in this country like rappers who think it is too much to ask that they don’t say n*gga, b*tch, and hoe every other word…you have to appreciate Dr. King that much more. When you contrast Dr. King getting arrested 29 times for non-violent protests to help make this country a better place for Blacks and all oppressed people with rich rappers getting arrested over and over again for weapons, drugs, and other violence…you have to appreciate Dr. King that much more. And I’m not saying all this to say that rappers are the only problem in this country, I’m just saying LOOK at what happened to us and what we have come to accept and even exalt. Even if we can’t bring ourselves to demand better from each other….the least that we can do is to take the time to properly acknowledge and appreciate the sacrifices of Dr. King and of all the people who marched, protested, and died for the rights we have today. So I ask that you guys take a moment from listening to music or watching videos and watch a Dr. King speech and reflect on the impact of his legacy and the gravity of his life and death.

Here is Dr. King’s last speech given the day before he died in Memphis, TN:

Part 1

Part 2

The presidential candidates paid tribute to Dr. King today at various stops. John McCain apologized for voting AGAINST Dr. King’s Holiday twice (apology not accepted). Hillary Clinton who previously marginalized Dr. King’s power and influence as a mere dream in an attempt to discredit Obama by saying that it “took a president to get it done” gave an “emotional” speech. Lastly Barack Obama gave a speech in Indiana where to talked about the economic aspect of Dr. King’s fight that often gets looked over. I included Obama’s speech below, because I think he gives a very important historical context about what Dr. King was doing in Memphis. I appreciate that he gave a speech that is not about himself but about Dr. King and truly delivering Dr. King’s message.

Thoughts on today and its significance?

Posted by Reecie

What is on Your Mind?

So…as I mentioned last week or a few weeks ago, I’m going to be doing more open threads where you guys can post about whatever you want to post. If you just want to rant or rave about something going on in your life…that is cool. You can also write about anything entertainment…it’s all on you. The only RULE is don’t post anything that is not work safe.

I’ll start it off…I have to confess that I am totally in love with my new Iphone. Thehonorable has been trying to convince me to get one and to like it…and even though I was initially incredibly turned off by the price, I have warmed up to it. It’s so amazing having the internet in all its glory, a phone, and an Ipod all in one. I can be grooving to my music while surfing the net…get a phone call, and when it’s done automatically pick up right where I left off.

See…that wasn’t difficult. So let’s hear it HM fam…what is on your mind?

Posted by Reecie

Speak on It: Making the Band 4 Finale Recap & Performances

Last night the season finale aired of Making the Band 4 and it was quite entertaining. The first hour was a regular episode that had a little bit of drama between Q and Dawn, because he was dancing suggestively with several girls while she was several feet away. Now…I’ve been in a similar situation so I gotta side with Dawn on how she handled the situation. She basically told him that she doesn’t care what he does so if he feels bad then that is his own guilty conscious speaking. My situation was a bit different where I had to check my man and let him know that if he wanted to be dancing with girls all up in my face then he better be prepared to watch me dance with guys…needless to say we never had that beef after that convo.

Anyway…Q did some ear hustling (which was pretty wack) and heard Dawn talking about the situation with the other DK chicks and let his inner bitcha$$ness run free. It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to guess who was fanning the flames with his sh!t talking…yep, King of the Bitcha$$ness Robert. Once Q calmed down and came to his senses he made nice with Dawn and all was right again in lover’s land.

The rest of the episode was filled with their radio appearances and general smack talking. The second hour was a reunion/recap kind of deal with performances from Danity Kane , Day 26, and Donnie. I would’ve preferred 2 DK performances rather than 2 Day 26 performances but oh well. Mike was looking pretty chunky again and neither Robert nor Brian were close to 6 pack status. However, Willie was looking good and Q is adorable.

Q was drooling over Dawn and even decided to publicly declare his affection for her by claiming her then giving her a big kiss (aaaaaawwwwwwwww). Robert’s ex Junebug cleared the air about the whole myspace blow up betweenRobert and D. Woods; and Robert asked D. Woods for an apology (damn does he ever stop whining?).

Diddy revealed that Danity Kane has the #1 album in the country…which doesn’t surprise me at all. When I went to buy it on Tuesday it was sold out! I bought it on Saturday and I’ve been playing it out ever since. Finally, the big announcement that Diddy had to make is that Danity Kane, Day 26, and Donnie will all be touring together over the next few months and it will all be captured on Making the Band 5. I wonder if he’ll throw Cheri Dennis a bone and let her open up for them.

Watch Danity Kane- Damaged

Watch Day 26- Got Me Going

Watch Donnie- Take You There feat. Diddy

What do you guys think of the finale? Are you happy that Dawn and Q stuck together? Do you think Day 26 will enjoy the same success as DK with their debut album? Which song do you hear on the radio more- “Damaged” or “Got Me Going”? (I’ve been hearing Damaged on every station out here) Who had the best performance?

Posted by Reecie

Hate it or Love it: Tyler Perry’s “Meet the Browns”

 So, this weekend I checked out Tyler Perry’s “Meet the Browns” starring Angela Bassett and Rick Fox and it pains me to say it but I hated it. I’ll admit it, I was skeptical that Angela and Rick would make a decent on screening pairing and my suspicions proved to be correct. Overall this movie was a real regression for Tyler and he was totally all over the place. I found myself wondering several times “where is he going with this?” Also, it really highlighted the problem with Tyler’s movies that they all have the same basic premise…you have a vulnerable struggling Black woman who is so guarded that she screws over a perfect Black man because she has been hurt one too many times. That plot is getting kind of played out and I’m kind of sick of seeing it. Although things always end well, I just gotta wonder…why do Black women have to be the source of the problem in all his movies?

Anyway, I looooove “Why Did I Get Married?”…but this effort from Tyler was not the business. There were too many stereotypes, cliches, the movie was long and drawn out with very little flow or purpose, the Madea cameo was pointless and not funny, and Angela and Rick had zero chemistry. Angela over-acted and brought no versatility to the role at all. She proved herself incapable of any type of comedic performance which might’ve made the movie seem less depressing. However, Jennifer Lewis was definitely the highlight and she added the few funny moments to the movie.

Did you check out “Meet the Browns”? What do you think of it?

Posted by Reecie

HM Readers Represent

So folks…I was just thinking…I don’t really know much about the readers on this site. Sure there are the regulars (or as they sometimes like to be called “b-level contributors” lol)….but there are thousands of people who visit this site a day who never leave a comment. So…here is my question: who are you?

I’m asking everyone who is reading this post to answer these questions:

1) Where are you from?

2) How old are you?

3) What would you like to see more of on the site? or What keeps you coming back?

If you want, you can post your first name (or nickname) and let us know whatever else you want to share (i.e. Myspace, whaaaaateva)

I’ll start it off…

I’m Reecie (in case you haven’t figured that out), I’m 25 years old (oh yeah and I’m a Libra)…and I’m from Los Angeles. I would like to see more comments from people on the site. I love reading people’s comments and I often end up talking about them to family and friends (probably much to their annoyance lol)…so to those of you out there who don’t comment: don’t be scared! The thing that keeps me coming back is really just that feeling of duty to not want to let the readers down. I get busy and sometimes I don’t feel like doing this, but ultimately, it’s you guys that keep me motivated.

Now…it’s your turn…

Posted by Reecie

Video: Barack Obama Addresses the Issue of Race in America

This speech is one for the history books. Barack Obama tackled the issue of race head on and challenged us all to look beyond our differences to form a more perfect union. United we stand, divided we fall.

Thoughts?

Posted by Reecie

PS- Please don’t leave any ignorant a$$ comments on this post, especially if you aren’t even going to bother to watch the video. Thanks.