Dwight Howard and His Baby Mama Drama Never Seem to Stop

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University 

One of my favorite films of all-time was "War of the Roses," starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner. In the film, a divorced couple starts down a dangerous and hilarious path of mutual destruction, where the goal of each is to make the other person's life miserable. At the end of the movie, both parties find that while it was their goal to destroy the other person, they actually ended up destroying themselves. Just for the record, each character dies at the end.

I think about "War of the Roses" when I see the custody battle between NBA star Dwight Howard and his ex-wife, Royce Reed. Of course I don't expect anyone to end up dead, but it's already clear that Royce and Dwight have made each other's lives as miserable as possible. Royce recently called the cops after Dwight picked up her son from daycare at a time when he was not scheduled to do so. Before that, Dwight had filed a lawsuit against Royce for referring to him as a "douchebag" on the TV show, "Basketball Wives.

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Black Athletes, Hip Hop and Handguns: What Up with That?

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

Shaun Rogers, a Defensive Tackle for the Cleveland Browns, was fined $400,000 by the league for violating its personal conduct policy. Rogers was caught carrying a loaded gun inside an airport. The fine represents approximately 1/17th of his $6.9 million salary.
Some would say that Rogers got off easy, since it would have been no surprise to see him either suspended or sent to jail. The player was caught carrying a loaded semi-automatic handgun in his carry-on bag at Hopkins International Airport. There's no indication regarding whether or not he realized that TSA agents actually have the ability to see inside of someone's luggage with their x-ray machine. It's hard to imagine what he might have been thinking.

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Black Males Dying in Detroit at Alarming Rates

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

African American males in Detroit between the ages of 15 and 24 are dying at a rate that is roughly seven times higher than the rest of the Detroit population. If they were dying at the same rate as everyone else, there would be one death every three weeks. Instead, there are two black men dying every single week.
This has set off alarm bells within the Detroit Police Department, which has taken heavy criticism for its policing of the black community. Their most recent embarrassment was the shooting of seven-year old Aiyana Jones during a police raid. But the Chief of Police, Ralph Godbee Jr., is concerned about black men killing one another.

 

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Drizzy Drops Half a Million Copies

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, AOL Black Voices

I took a poll of some of my industry homies last week to get a sense of how"Thank Me Later," the debut album for Drake, was going to sell. It turns out that out of those bold enough to make a prediction, my friends Michael Bivins (formerly of Belle, Biv, Devoe and New Edition) and Vigalantee (a rapper in Kansas City, MO), were closest. Vigalantee predicted 450,000 units and Mike Biv predicted 400,000. No matter how you slice it, Drake is now officially the shizzle.

It's not as if anyone is surprised by Drake's stellar debut. He and the rest of the Young Money clique did an outstanding job creating buzz for the album and Drake proved that even in the age of massive Internet pirating, he can still make his money.

 

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Rappers and Black Women: Slim Thug and Talib Kweli

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University

A note to Slim Thug: You probably just need to be quiet for a while. It's not to say thatyour comments about black women were outside your rights to freedom of speech, but if you keep dissing the audience most likely to go out and buy your records, you are probably going to end up in the same poorhouse as MC Hammer. Don't get me wrong, black men love your music (at least I do), but the bottom line is that brothers don't buy albums, books, or anything else put up for sale. But when black women turn on you, it's a wrap son. Settle down and go back to the studio; it's good for your financial health.
I wrote yesterday about the comments made by Slim Thug regarding how he perceives white women to be a better dating choice than black women, as well asColumbia Professor Marc Lamont Hill'sresponse to Slim Thug's words. It seems that the debate has taken a life of it's own, now that rapper Talib Kweli has joined the conversation. In a recent essay he wrote for Vibe Magazine, Talib Kweli was ever the diplomatic artist, as he showed respect for Slim Thug, but also expressed his own concerns for his colleague's remarks about black women:

Click to read.

To read more about the debate regarding Slim Thug’s comments about black women, click here.

Your Black News: Lloyd Banks Gets Locked Up

G-Unit's Lloyd Banks is being held by police in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, on assault and robbery charges after an incident involving a local promoter on Friday night. Authorities say that Banks and three others assaulted the promoter after the G-Unit member performed at Club NV in nearby Brantford late Friday night.

Sergeant Brad Finucan of the Waterloo Regional Police's Criminal Investigations branch told MTV News on Sunday (January 10) that Banks (real name: Christopher Lloyd) and three associates got into a dispute with the promoter at a local hotel over payment for performance and an appearance fee. The promoter's name was withheld by police.

 

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Dr. Boyce Watkins says we need to forget about Chris Brown and Rihanna

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University 

When I heard that Chris Brown hit his ex-girlfriend Rihanna, I was concerned and surprised.  I also found myself irritated by the fact that many women, along with my teenage daughters, were quick to forgive Chris for his actions, primarily because they think he has a great voice and a cute face.  I had little sympathy for Chris Brown, and doing something like that to one of my girls would’ve had him singing a cappella for the rest of his life.

RELATED: Rihanna: Chris Brown “Had No Soul In His Eyes”

But that’s where I have to get off the Chris Brown bashing bus.  In spite of my frustration with Chris’ behavior, I cannot endorse the media’s decision to turn his relationship with Rihanna into a one-sided slugfest, committed by yet another violent black man whose rage consistently overrides his intellect.  I also cannot endorse Rihanna’s decision to bring ABC News into her relationship, portraying herself as the completely innocent victim who was terrorized by the big, scary black man.  Yes, she is the victim, but we all know that love is not that simple.

Let’s be clear: No man should ever put his hands on a woman in a violent way.  We all agree on that.   Not only is it morally wrong, but it’s an easy way for a man to find himself in jail (especially if he’s black).  We should also agree that no woman should put her hands on any man.  The second point might be subject to disagreement, but the truth is that you shouldn’t hit someone if you don’t expect to get hit back.  While that person might end up being punished by the police, you might end up in the morgue.  We can also agree that the disproportionate amount of force that a man is capable of inflicting is a legitimate reason that the man is more to blame than the woman, even if both parties are involved in a physical altercation.

 

Click to read.

What? Sippin Syrup is now being sold in stores?

by Dr Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University 

AOL Black Voices, Your Black World 

You've probably heard the phrase "sippin syrup," used in reference to the act of mixing cough syrup, codeine, and soda together to create a relaxed feeling within the person who consumes the beverage. The "drank" has become quite popular, particularly in the south, as rappers have done their jobs of giving free promotion to an illegal product that has managed to make teenagers even less productive than many of them already are.
It was only a matter of time before corporate America stepped in to make money off the trend. Meet the new drink on store shelves: Sippin Syrup. The drink doesn't use any illegal products, but produces the same "lean" effect that many young people seek from the cough syrup product on the street. Harmless enough, right? Not so fast.
Officers in the Houston area are concerned that the product sold on store shelves is nothing more than a gateway to an incredibly dangerous and addictive drug. The snazzy ad campaign fully leverages the power of the brand of "purple stuff" being sold on the streets already. Teenagers who can't get the real stuff would likely be enticed by the substitute until the door is open for the actual product.

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If the above link does not work, please click here to see Dr Boyce articles on AOL Black Voices

A Knock Out fo Yo Ass

 

Click the video to watch LeGarrette Blount of The University of Oregon knock out a player from Boise State University.

News from Hip Hop Wired – 8/25/09

Juelz Santana Arrested for “Threatening To Kill His Wife”

NEWS

» by JUSTIN STEWART   Aug 25 2009, 14:40 pm

Member of the Diplomats and Leader of the Skull Gang, rapper Juelz Santana was arrested today for domestic abuse.  According to reports, Santana allegedly threatened to kill his wife.

Reports show that a 911 call was placed by his wife early this morning during an altercation between the two in their home in Teaneck, New Jersey.  Whatever was said in the phone call clearly did the trick as the rapper was arrested on domestic battery charges, although she was not in need of any

Comments 0 Tags dipset, juelz santana, juelz santana arrested for domestic abuse, juelz santana arrested for domestic violence

Lil Wayne feat. Eminem, Kanye West and Drake Coming Soon?

NEWS

» by JUSTIN STEWART   Aug 25 2009, 13:29 pm

In anticipation for the documentary film More Than A Game, the stakes may have risen to a boiling point as a dream collaboration may be in the works for the soundtrack.

There have been rumors circulating that a song featuring Wayne, Drake, Kanye West and Eminem is in the process and will be featured for the film.  Reports have even taken it as far as stating that the track will be available Friday on iTunes.

For Louisiana bred Lil Wayne, the self proclaimed rapper eater has stated that one of his musical dreams came in the form of actually working alongside the Detroit rapper and even issued a challenge to bring Eminem out of hiding to do a track with him.

The actual film, being disturbed by Lionsgate, surrounds the upbringing of basketball player Lebron James, who was

Comments 0 Tags lil wayne/ drake/ eminem and kanye west collaborate for lebron james movie, more than game/ lebron james movie

Juror for C-Murder Trial Says Voting Process Was Foul

NEWS

» by JUSTIN STEWART   Aug 25 2009, 12:50 pm

Now that the trial is over and Corey “C-Murder” Miller has been convicted for murder, a juror now steps up to state that foul play happened in casting the votes and declaring that Miller was indeed guilty.

Mary Jacob, who had a hand on two occasions in having the deciding vote for the murder trial, has now come forth to admit that one juror did not fully believe that Miller was indeed guilty of the crime he was being accused of, but her vote was tainted by other jurors who ultimately made her decide in their

Comments 0 Tags c-murder gets another 10 years for seperate shooting, c-murder sentenced to life in prison, c-murder trial tainted, juror harrasement in c-murder trial

G-Unit Employee Due In Court For Assault Charge

NEWS

» by DANIELLE CANADA   Aug 25 2009, 12:19 pm

An employee of 50 Cent's G-Unit empire is due in court today for his second assault charge in three months. 27-year old Dwayne Mckenzie is facing criminal charges for attacking an unidentified woman and holding her down so another woman could beat her.

The incident happened August 16 at 50's 50,000 square foot mansion in Connecticut. According to the unidentified woman, he asked her for oral sex. When she refused, one of her friends jumped to her defense and began to argue with him. When the woman and her friend tried to leave, they were attacked by 21-year old

Your Black World: Black Celebs at the All Star Game

Tons of celeb couples were spotted in Phoenix for All Star Weekend! I never seen so many pro athletes with their wives at one time I was shocked and appalled! Even Shaq dusted Shaunie off and brought her out! More pics coming soon!

Technorati Tags: black celebrities,african american celebrities,black news headlines,african american news

Report: Chris Brown Finally Addresses the Public

For over a week it seems that everyone but Chris Brown and Rihanna had something to say about their domestic violence incident, but Chris has finally broken his silence. Chris released a statement earlier today, check out what he had to say below.

“Words cannot begin to express how sorry and saddened I am over what transpired. I am seeking the counseling of my pastor, my mother and other loved ones and I am committed, with God’s help, to emerging a better person. Much of what has been speculated or reported on blogs and/or reported in the media is wrong. While I would like to be able to talk about this more, until the legal issues are resolved, this is all I can say except that I have not written any messages or made any posts to Facebook, on blogs or any place else. Those posts or writing under my name are frauds.”

I am definitely glad to see that he is seeking help, and I kind of feel a little sorry for him.

--
Posted By N. Taylor to Your Black Gossip at 2/15/2009 08:59:00 PM

 

Technorati Tags: chris brown,chrianna,chris brown and rihanna,black news,african american news,black celebrities,african american celebrities

Boyce Watkins: Poem to the Black Male Athlete

Some of you may know that I have a creative side (i.e. my rap single that we released last week, which has gotten great reviews from radio DJs around the country - even though I am still growing as an artist....but yes, I really am a rapper, not a professor trying to rap: I don't fit easily into anyone's box. I've loved Hip Hop my whole life, especially Ice Cube, Spice 1, Tupac and TI). You might also know that I have been in an on-going academic battle with the NCAA over the fact that this organization extracts over $1 Billion dollars per year from the black community. As part of my role as a Faculty affiliate at the College Sports Research Institute at The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, I plan to continue investigating ways that the compensation model can be one that allows the families of athletes to experience some of the rewards of this professional sports league.

To have fun with this, I wrote a poem that describes the experiences I've seen from black college athletes as I've taught at 5 major universities over the past 15 years. If you know me, you know I write from the heart, so this is based on what I've seen up close. I am hopeful that these words can provide insight to the mothers of black men who are allowing their sons to go through a system that has not worked very hard to educate them and works overtime to exploit them and their families. Sports is cool, but education is what stays with you for a lifetime. Please teach that to your children every single day.



The Big Brown Baller
by Dr. Boyce Watkins
www.BoyceWatkins.com

I turned the TV on ESPN
I saw the Big Brown Baller again
The one who can jump straight out of the gym
Who scores 50 points and hangs on the rim
The latest great athlete of the NCAA
The next billion dollar asset they won't have to pay
The guy that's encouraged to skip out on class
To run the 40 yard dash for university cash
The Big Brown Baller was on lots of billboards
Coke and Toyota and WalMart and Ford
I hear the "cha-ching" as the college gets paid
Just call him piano, cause the boy is getting played
I'm a finance professor, so I'll ask like a geek
How can you put "students" on TV every week,
as they graduate slow, your cash flow will grow
And you never give that player a cut of the dough?
The player can't show me any stuff that he's got
But the coach told me that he just bought a new yacht
Some jewels for his cat, diamonds for his wife's ear
All owed to the fresh negroes he recruited last year
The Big Brown Baller wasn't doing so hot
His mom got evicted, his brother got shot
The NCAA came and put on the clamps
When he tried to buy groceries with his mama's food stamps
Some say that the athletes should never get paid
Free school for 10 million? Is that a fair trade?
If I were an athlete, I would most likely say
"F--k you, pay me" in a Goodfellas Way
One thing that I notice for the athletes in brown
I don't see many players in a cap or a gown
Schools make sure players show up for games on TV
But they don't make them show up to get a degree
Some say that the athletes are the reason for this
When I hear that same crap, I admit I get pissed
Do you remember when you took Tyrone out of my class
So he could go across country and throw the big pass?
If education was key in your time with Tyrone
You would have said "Miss the game and go study at home"
But with "voluntary" practices, you know the rule
He's not here to study, he's your garden tool
Excuse all my French, but that's the language I use
The phrase "student athlete" has been long abused
Their broke families give billions but take all the blame
When their children come home in a shadow of shame
The NCAA wears suits, but deep underneath
They're really just pimps with gold in their teeth
Making rules to fool fools talking nothing but jive
To keep their professional sports league alive
He hit the last shot, and after the game
The Brown Baller emerges, and it's more of the same
The coaches and corporates and little old men
Stand around him and chant "Boy you did it again!"
They rob money in buckets and release it in drops
There's a jacking in progress, so please call the cops
Each time a school makes free millions from play
They are in gross violation of the American way.
Don't believe me, just try it, let the players sit out
Is a boycott in order? I don't have any doubt
Without the brown ballers, you already know
No endorsements, no fans, no tv, no dough