Black Intel » Kanye West

Letter from The Editor: What they really want from a Journalist?

Aerial — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 06:10:38 +0000

Which would you rather read about? A newborn panda bear or a child molester that just moved to your county?

Those of you who answered panda bear either really likes baby panda bears or is one of the many people that are sick and tired of hearing disturbing news from the media. Those of you who answered child molester either have children or will be the next senator. Drastic equation I know, but in my best DMX voice I must ask “What do you really want from a journalist?”

Many people opt to get their news from media outlets other than television so they can choose what type of news they take in. I’m sure the numbers would show that people spend more time and more search engine power looking up celebrity gossip as opposed to serious world changing news. Journalists call the two: soft news and hard news, or as I like to call it: bubble gum and steak. One difference between hard and soft news is the tone of the presentation.

A hard news story takes a factual approach: What happened? Who was involved? Where and when did it happen? Why did it happen? A soft news story tries to entertain or advise the reader. Here is some bubble gum for you: who doesn’t want to hear about the new iPhone that records and streams live video? It’s probably sold best when said “girl when you see your best friend’s boyfriend in the club grinding on a hot young tender and you can immediately stream to your best friend’s phone as well as online for the whole world to see!” Now who wouldn’t want to catch a player up!? Soft news is a clear winner because it could be both factual and entertaining. Hard news is just serious. Who wants to be serious all time?

In September 2009 the Kanye and Taylor Swift fiasco was publicly aired. It was devastating right… wrong: soft news. Two weeks later the tragic beating and death of Derrion Albert surfaced: hard news. Which do you know more of? Which do you still talk about? Which do you even care about? Both Kayne West and Derrion Albert are from Chicago, so a Chicagoan would know and care about both, but I can bet $5 everyone is still talking about crazy ass ‘Ye (and yes I can talk, as I am rolling my neck and smacking my lips, because I’m a Chicagoan.) But for those of you not in or from Chicago, which got more coverage?

Has everyone forgotten the type of world we live in? Life is not all about skinny jeans, Ciroq, bald head Amber Rose or even lace front wigs… SURPRISE! We live in a world where bad things happen and the only way you would be able to hear about these things is through media outlets: newspapers, magazines, radio, television or the internet. Knowledge is power people. It has always been better to have known and dismissed than to never have known at all.

From now on I urge you, young business people, to stay focused on what’s really important in life. Continue to support the hard footwork journalist risk their lives doing. They go directly to the war zone to report, some go undercover to get the real nit and grit… do we even appreciate their hard work? Value the timeliness of the information given, the factual although sometime sided words. Think about what it is you really want from a journalist. If it’s a drastic change from the one we have, then maybe you should be the one implementing it.

Love,
The Editor

Top 2009 Songs

Nourbese — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 09:29:05 +0000

Below is the list for Top 2009 songs… what’s your choices

BOOM BOOM POW

The Black Eyed Peas

The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies)

POKER FACE

Lady Gaga

The Fame [Bonus Track]

JUST DANCE

Lady Gaga Featuring Colby O’Donis

The Fame [Bonus Track]

I GOTTA FEELING

The Black Eyed Peas

The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies)

LOVE STORY

Taylor Swift

Fearless

RIGHT ROUND

Flo Rida

R.O.O.T.S. (Route of Overcoming the Struggle)

I’M YOURS

Jason Mraz

SINGLE LADIES (PUT A RING O…

Beyonce

I Am… Sasha Fierce [Deluxe Edition]

HEARTLESS

Kanye West

808s & Heartbreak

GIVES YOU HELL

The All-American Rejects

About a certain Teddy Bear Backpack and Skinny Jean wearing rapper who’s name can no longer be mentioned

Nourbese — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 21:26:10 +0000

Ok so it’s a month after Kanye’s VMA episode and it’s still creeping up in the news. Granted, now it’s more like pictures of Kanye crying and Taylor Swift looking like America’s little angel, but it’s still there. Lately I have been giving this some thought…was what Kanye did really that bad?

Mr. West single-handedly ushered Swift to a whole new level of fame. Without his little speech, she would be another teen star who most of the world had never heard of.

Secondly, why are we so quick to jump on Kanye’s back? Wasn’t he saying what we were all really thinking? Yes, how he did it was quite rude, but the way it was told to me, you would have thought Kanye ripped the mic out of this girl’s hands and kicked her in the face. When I finally watched the incident on MTV I found myself asking…was that it?

Thirdly, everyone seemed to profit from ‘Ye’s outburst. It definitely raised the profile of the VMA’s. It also got Ms. Taylor talk show appearances she couldn’t have landed before. And-my favorite-it set up the whole big-bad-black-man-terrorizing-white-America scene, which, paired with labeling of our “Black President”, leaves me surprised that Marshall Law hasn’t been declared yet.

Frankly, in this day and age, if you are an entertainer and you can’t take a little heat from a 5’8 rapper who wears skinny jeans and teddy bear backpacks, you need to find another profession. I’m tired of hearing about how Kanye was so horrible, mainly because I can name several Hollywood events that are much worse, like Norbit, which was an insult to all our senses. So America can we stop making this about how ‘Ye is such a bad dude and more about what it should be… how MTV picks who “the best” video award goes to anyway?

We Need Better from you Kanye

Albert Gibbs — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:16:34 +0000

It started when I begin to see my friends tweet and facebook about Kanye West latest antics. Before I even saw the actual act I was drawn in by various post that read things like “ Kanye…..Come on Man that’s not cool”, “OMG Kanye West is a A$$Hole” , “Man Kanye is nuttier then squirrel s%it”. A call to a friend on the east coast who was watching the VMA’s live confirmed what I had read.

Yes Kanye West a 32 year old grown black man went on stage during 19 year old lilly white Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech for best female video, in which she beat out Beyonce’s single “Single Ladies”. Only two sentences into her speech West took to the stage uninvited took the microphone from Swifts hands and said “Taylor, I’m really happy for you, I’ll let you finish, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time! One of the best videos of all time!”

What the MTV camera did show was a shocked and visibly shaken Taylor Swift, then the crowd’s reaction of loudly booing Kanye West off the stage. What the camera didn’t show was before taking a seat Kanye gave the middle finger to the audience. The MTV producers were livid with West and demanded an apology; he refused and left the show.

When watching this I sit on my couch in shook and embarrassed, as a black man and as a fan. As he yell into the Mic “One of the best videos of all time” for the second time I didn’t know if I was watching a toddler pout or a Grammy award winning artist. Somewhere in the dark, someone of another race repeated the infamous Rick James quote from the Dave Chappelle show “They should have never gave you nigga’s money”!!!! While Kanye in his twisted little mind was sticking up for Beyonce in what some might consider an award snub. The rest of the world saw an adult black superstar acting up, and another example of even with wealth and stardom some black folks still cannot handle themselves with class.

The reason why I am so upset is because Kanye West is a musical genius, this is not a Soulja Boy or Piles we are talking about here. Kanye West music has put him in a place within pop culture that transcends race, gender, and most importantly rap music. Kanye West was one of the first clean cut rapper to don Polo shirts and Kakis instead of Baggy jeans and oversize, overprice chains. Kanye West was one of the few rappers to become mainstream with fun songs about working out, gold digging women and Jesus Christ walking beside him. Kanye West was the first rapper that I saw on TV that looked like my fraternity brothers and I. He was one of the first to talk about the things we spoke about. The same way Allen Iverson made it ok for professional athletes to wear braids , Kanye made it ok for square college kids to feel it was ok to rap. And that’s why this hurt. That’s why I am so embarrassed.

Last night Kanye went from being in some circles an idolized and praised figure to just another ignorant nigga with no home training, and no respect for other’s property.

Granted West has a history of wayward behavior in the past, but now he is fighting battle’s that are not even his, and making a mockery of not only himself but all of those involved. Beyonce ended the night winning video of the year along with three other awards. She also called Swift up to the stage to finish her speech and won over the hearts again of many folks disturbed by West’s antics earlier. Kanye won nothing. Kanye lost fans. Kanye lost the respect of many and clearly he has also lost his mind.

While the rest of the world will move on when the latest “It story” hits the web and the tweets and Google trends about the Kanye lesson. I just want Mr. West to think about more then only himself and his self proclaim big ego the next time he wants to make a point. Think about the next Lupe Fiasco’s of the world, brilliant and talented MC’s who got no shine before you because they weren’t talking about guns, violence and drug sales. Think about the way families everywhere felt when they heard your single “Roses” that spoke on a family pulling together for a sick love one. Think about how proud the people of New Orleans were of you when you called out the then president on nationwide TV, saying “George Bush doesn’t care about black people”. Think about how you made it ok for young black man to be emotional when you released the hit single “Heartless” and the Mixtape favorite “Improvise”.

Before you Kanye the only emotions channeled through rap music was “F that B”, “I be pimpin these hoes” and “I’ll kill for my money”. So my message to you Kanye West is you have done some remarkable things with your music, but don’t make this type of behavior your legacy. They are very few who remember any of the records OJ Simpson broke during his playing days but everyone knows his name now. No not as one of the finest running backs to ever grace the gridiron but as a murderer and criminal. In the words of Outkast- “Marinate on that for second”.