Homophobic counseling -since when?

Listen, something about the hoopla surrounding Isaiah Washington has me deeply bothered. Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't we all in agreement that while it may be OK to be gay and you have the right to love who you want, it's still not exactly cool? Why should he go to counseling for saying "faggot"? Isn't the agreement that you can come out of the closet but sometimes people may call you names, much like other groups that face discrimination daily? You mean to tell me their isn't a spick or nigger out there who could sign up a few coworkers for counseling? How about bitches? I've been called that by a coworker and I remember the day a coworker of mine was called a nigger-bitch by her supervisor.. he didn't go to counseling. What ever happened to the adage "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me." (I'm sure someone will correct that for me in the comment section.)

I mean, if I'm way off here.. then maybe I should seek counseling. Why the hell should this guy go to counseling because he uses homophobic language? I mean, is he beating gay people up on the weekends or what? Is there an alcoholic beverage that he drinks like haterade that makes him all like "I hate gays.." -that's it! He's drunk from sipping on gayhaterade. Counseling is expensive. He MUST have some other problem he's coping with, because this is just crazy. What are they going to sort out in these counseling sessions anyway.. why he shouldn't care who his coworkers sleep with? I mean at the end of the day, the only difference between him and many other heteros is that he says homophobic stuff to his gay coworker's face. We're all smarter than that. Plus, honestly, I have no desire to call anyone out of their name. Well, I surely have the desire at times, but never have. Well, not to their face anyway.

I'm just feeling like gay people are being protected from hurt and harm above any other group in the nation. If someone calls you a name, they should be reprimanded and maybe even fired if it's that severe. I know that T.R. Knight isn't pushing Isaiah into rehab, but who is? Is this the producers trying to give him a chance? I wonder if they'll try to convert him into the gay lifestyle while he's there?

Isaiah's Homophobic Rehab Schedule

• 8-9 a.m. breakfast in group setting with gay men.
• 9-10 a.m. Breakout sessions
• - Intro to drag
• - History of homosexuality and religion
• - Gay vs. Black American Civil Rights Movement
• 11- 12:30 p.m. Watch gay porn
• 12:30- 1 p.m. break/private time
• 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Group session, discuss any homophobic thoughts you had today and how gay porn made you feel.
• 3:30 -6 p.m. Shopping
• 6:30 -8 p.m. Dinner and chores: Refill penis-shaped salt and pepper shakers
• 8-9 p.m. TV time ("Will & Grace" reruns,"Queer As Folk," "Oz" "Six Feet Under" "Project Runway" "America's Next Top Model")
• 9:30 - 11 p.m. Late night group session
• Midnight movie: Brokeback Mountain

Mos Def's worst CD

He named it True Magic, which seems to be quite fitting. Mos's last album magically appeared in stores with zero promotion and not even a beat on the radio, then it will magically disappear from shelves as Geffen Records just recalled it.

I've heard of a bad idea, a poor drop date but never an album so bad that they take it back! You recall products that explode or maim people. I mean, many great albums burn slow and then get a re-release with remixes or one special track when it picks up popularity in a year or so. Not True Magic! I'm actually listening to it right now..I don't know what I think yet. Nothing's been great, but that's how his last joint The New Danger hit me too. Billboard, New York Times (like they know shit) and others gave this album a bad review, saying it was rushed and unfinshed. I'll be the judge of that.

The first thing I notice is that he's actually rapping. I think that's a step in the right direction for Mos. He still sounds sexy! But like The New Danger, this would have to grow on you.

Anyone else got a copy?

RIAA hating on Mixtapes

So the RIAA sent popo into the Aphilliates offices in Atlanta yesterday and arrested DJ Drama (Atlantic Records/Grand Hustle) and DJ Don Cannon for "racketeering." I read the whole article on Allhiphop.com before I even realized what they were arrested for. I'm like, what'd they do?? They were selling mixtapes and the RIAA (the private org that represents music labels) isn't getting any dough from their sales. I don't shop for mixtapes in real stores, but I hear that DJ Drama's tapes are sold at FYE and whatnot. That's a good look for folks in areas where people don't pop open their trunks and sell bootlegs.. Not that mixtapes qualify as bootlegs.

That's the big question. They've confiscated all of their CDs, computers, equiptment for making CDs and bank statements like they're real criminals. But some mixtapes have original beats and lyrics.. even if the music is "leaked" we all know that the artist and labels are creating the leaks. RIAA has to know how this works, but they don't care. It's not like they're trying to hurt the industry or the artists.. in hip-hop, people are honored to be included in hot mixtapes. They need to be involved.
In fact, you can probably buy a bootleg of Aphilliates' mixtapes in the streets.

Does this mean that mixtape DJs are going to have to get clearence for every beat they use from now on? I mean, maybe they should be doing that already, but it may slow things down tremendously. I think this just means that hip-hop's mixtape market has to go back underground. When you pop up on the shelves of music stores, that's when it becomes a problem.

There's also a question about whether or not the music on the mixtapes keeps people from buying albums.. I'd say yes. I just bought a CD from iTunes today, because I don't know where to find a bootleg and my CD burner at the crib isn't working, and it's $16 in the real store.. So I saved $6. Not that I have to explain myself to you.. but anyway. I was kinda pissed that I didn't think to not buy the songs I already have on mixed CDs. Sometimes you want the full track with all of the lyrics, but other times it's like: I don't give a shit who I paid, I paid for that song already. That's for people who actually buy bootlegs or mixtapes from street vendors and Web sites. The rest of you losers are just refusing to help the economy at all. Now that's really being a bootlegger, which isn't right.

I think these two DJs will be OK. They will probably loose lots of cash, but all they have to do is prove that they have agreements with the aritsts, I hope. If they have to go back and pay publishing to all of the original creators of the music used on every mixtape.. it's a wrap. They're done. That's IF they haven't already covered their asses by having written agreements on file. But DJ Drama still has an "official" mixtape coming out on Atlantic Records/Grand Hustle this year.

Here comes Obama...

So, they say that Barack Obama has filed the necessary paperwork to start raising money for a presidential campaign in 08.. Hooray! Not because I think he'll win, just because it's exciting to have such a strong, sexy, sophisticated and exciting competitor in the game. It's like Michael Jordan's last comeback attempt with the Wizards.. They didn't win shit, but it was still fun to watch. That's not one of my best analogies..

Anyway, besides being a biracial Black man, born to an immigrant father (from Kenya, no less!) and only 45 years old.. I've been wondering about some of the dumb reasons the fickle American voters will come up with to explain why they don't feel comfortable putting thier country in the hot hands, of this handsome senator.

4. Many Americans view his home state of Hawaii as an un-American exotic destination. This can't help.
3. He's always opposed the war, but when American's get in the voting booth they're all like, "who's the biggest warmonger on the ballet? hmmm..."
2. His foxyness and charisma may remind people of Bill Clinton, you see where that charm got him.
1. His name sounds a lot like Osama.. as in Bin Laden.

That said, I won't be missing the primary voting date on this race!

More troops, please

I'm feeling hopeful about 2007, or at least I was until I watched my favorite president address the nation last night. Then I was really happy about the fact that winter feels like spring, until this Arctic blast came through yesterday. Although, we're back to average temps, I feel cheated.

Anyway, 21,000 troops are being sent over to Iraq to police neighborhoods, right? The promise is that more soldiers will die because we have more in harms way. But eventually, we'll either win or leave Iraq, because our support for their functioning democracy has an expiration date (Yeah, right). They may loose the support of the "American people" but I don't think he meant, they'll loose the troops that we have on the ground.

The main thing I wanted to hear last night that Bush didn't mention is whether or not the new troops are being trained for the type of war they're going into. Everyone is saying that they're not trained for situations like Baghdad, and I remember a story where one contractor was ambushed while being escorted by a military tank. He said that they killed his driver and his car came to a stop. He begged for help, but instead of turning around to help him, the troops drove their tank to safety. These troops are scared. Not all of them, but many aren't trying to be a roadside statistic and I can't blame them. There's more going on than the clear mission of searching for Saddam or suspected insurgents. I just don't know that increasing numbers will help in areas that the U.S. citizens like me really care about. I just want troops to leave Iraq, alive with all of their body parts, as soon as possible. Aside from the Bush administration, does anyone really care if Iraq's democracy works? Do you really fear that the lives of your children and grandchildren will be filled with terror if we don't "win" in Iraq? I mean, can't terrorists just train in another country?

This kinda reminds me of a supervisor who can't delegate responsibility so he stays at work day and night trying to do it all himself. Only in this case, "himself" means American troops. If there was something really popping in Iraq we could call on other countries to send more troops.