Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce the REAL...

Today, we lost yet another iconic African-American... Gerald LeVert. (He will always be missed, and I feel fortunate to have been able to see him perform in 2002). When I heard about the loss, it really got me thinking. Gerald had that passion... that one-of-a-kind come-hither voice that made you believe regardless of whatever he had done, his intentions were honorable. When I look at the young crop of R&B crooners, I can't help but shake my head at the fact that no one has the voice, the charisma, or the intensity to match he was the artist behing "The G Spot."

There's something to be said for passion... intensity... open honesty. These things always came across in Gerald's music. In my tangent thought process, I recognized the ladies loved Gerald because he was never afraid to act a fool and pour his heart out in pursuit. Sadly, this made his music celebrity image more appealing to a lot of women than that of the real men we encounter on a daily basis. Though there are always debates about what we girls want and what we don't, I think I can speak for all when I say what we truly require is love and respect.

Love, in all of its abstractness, includes euphoric and sometimes senseless passion that when wielded correctly, drives a woman wild. All any real woman needs is to see a man is willing to do a little wildin' out for her because when emotionally vested, we naturally do the same. Even the man who is usually a little undesirable can earn kudos when he lets it all hang loose (lol). Respect is simply knowing you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar (though that colloquialism has always puzzled me... who wants a bunch of flies???) These concepts are simple in theory, but extremely complicated in practice...

So, though today was a tragedy for those who love unbridled passion in their R&B/soul music, take a lesson from the dead. Life is too short to live blandly. Seize each moment. Love when it feels right. Love like you want to be loved. Share your feelings when given the chance. And, do it all like there is no tomorrow.

ciao...

Greetings, from my head...

Allow me to pay homage to my favorite journalist, Mr. Ed Bradley. Referred to as "Mr. Cool" by a CBS news colleague, Ed Bradley never failed to captivate my attention during his stories (and I offer that his diamond stud had nothing to do with it). He has left an incomparable legacy. I am more than elated to come from older parents who actually watched 60 Minutes during my childhood.

Mr. Bradley, on behalf of my generation... you will be missed.

For the first time in over a decade, US dems can tell GOPers to get behind them and kiss ass...
No, seriously, last night, the politics in this country definitely shifted from the cavalier cowboy attitude of crusading and conquering. Though faced with choosing the lesser of two evils, for the first time since this entire mess began, the public spoke up and spoke out--rationally. Unfortunately, each individual vote actually counts in mid-term elections... We can only hope that 2008 arrives with the public still shunning the imperialist and capitalistic machine...

Ciao...

My self-proclaimed man, Mos Def, said it best on his latest disc The New Danger. If the geniuses of the past were alive today, how would they feel about the state of things? I venture to guess that they wouldn't be able to stand it... Billie, Miles, Jimi-- who sought solace in substance abuse, eventually succumbed to the fatality of their addictions. Why were they addicted in the first place? Or, an even better question, why would people with so much talent, such profound insight choose a temporary high over life? I can honestly say that if these musical icons thought their circumstances were grim and dreary then, they wouldn't feel much better about the way the world is progressing today.

I'm not so bold as to place myself in the same category as these legends, however, I do relate to their craft. Much of their work was before my time, but the timeless messages that resonate very accurately convey my own sentiments. Marvin Gaye, arguably the greatest male soul singer, released song after song condeming the circumstances and conditions facing the world at that time. For his sanity, it is best that he is not around to see that people are still asking, "What's Going On?"

We're still losing mother and child to the streets... 5-0 is more trigger happy than ever... the gov. is still b*tch slapping the little man... we're STILL spending TOO much cheese to go to space (is the cure for AIDS, Cancer, and IGNORANCE on the moon or Mars???)... AND, our virile youth are STILL dying in unjust wars...

To me, the alarming thing, moreso, even than the reality of the dismal circumstances we face, is the fact that so few people admittingly see life for what it is. WHY? The majority of people with the intelligence AND empathy required to positively affect change do not have the resources. The others get caught-up in the machines this country is infamous for perfecting... capitalism and politics. The artists in every genre will always see the world for what it is because with talent and intelligence comes a realistic perspective. While they produce timeless pieces lamenting the hardships of their day, doing something about these trials takes much more. Until the intelligent decide to use their gifts for "good", we will always have occasions where reality is so dismal people just throw up both their hands in defeat.

It is imperative that within this generation, there be people willing to sacrifice their riches and popularity for a real and worthy cause. Unfortunately, money is the driving force behind the actions of so many because so many have never been able to attain the riches we are told can lead to the American Dream. What we should all realize is that the riches are not real. The materialism is not real. AND, having a pimp'd out luxury vehicle parked in front of a housing project or apartment isn't real. What IS real, is realizing that multi-million dollar homes surrounded by housing projects IS real... "real" wrong.

Maybe I'll be a catalyst via my music... maybe not. But the important thing is that I've prepared my intellectual arsenal as well. Talents should be shared, but in the words of Spidey II's Dr. Oc, "Intelligence is a gift to be shared with mankind." I may not change the world, but I definitely plan on making a mark on it. (Thanks 'Pac, for sparking this mind...)