Posts Tagged ‘Rihanna’

Well done (or not done) Chris Brown…

Chris Brown

From Yahoo!

The Chris Brown awfulness parade continues, and we’re not just talking about that Frank Ocean fight: Now the Los Angeles district attorney has filed a motion revealing that Brown might have lied about completing the court-ordered community service that was in effect his entire legal punishment after the singer pled guilty to assaulting Rihanna in 2009.

Though Brown had asked for his community service work to be transferred to Virginia where has a residence, L.A.’s DA now wants Brown to do his community service in Los Angeles and “modify the terms of his probation accordingly.”

When investigators from the Los Angeles DA’s office went to Virginia to look into Brown’s work, the inquiry “revealed no credible, competent or verifiable evidence that Defendant Brown performed hiscommunity labor as represented to this court.” The DA’s motion, which you can read in full here viathe Los Angeles Times, explains that no one from the Virginia’s Department of Corrections Probation and Parole Office “ever approved, scheduled, supervised, monitored, or verified any of the community labor reported.”

The Mo’Kelly Report is a syndicated politics and entertainment journal. Visit http://mrmokelly.com for the latest from Mr. Mo’Kelly. Tune into The Mo’Kelly Show Saturdays from 6-8pm PDT on KFI AM640 and XM 166 Saturdays and Sundays from 8pm-9pm PST. Contact Mo’Kelly at mrmokelly@gmail.com.

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From ABC NEWS

The Mo’Kelly Report is a syndicated politics and entertainment journal. Visit http://mrmokelly.com for the latest from Mr. Mo’Kelly. Tune into The Mo’Kelly Show Saturdays from 6-8pm PDT on KFI AM640 and XM 166 Saturdays and Sundays from 8pm-9pm PST. Contact Mo’Kelly at mrmokelly@gmail.com.

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How many times must the obvious be on display before we get the message? How many times must Chris Brown prove that he is both incapable of managing his anger (even after anger management) and dealing with his misogyny?

Yes, he was lured into his latest twitter brawl. That is not in dispute.  Chris Brown isn’t the brightest candle on the birthday cake.  That too is not in dispute.  Most importantly not in dispute is that Brown’s response to comedian Jenny Johnson was vile, despicable and unjustified.

Since the exchange, Brown has deleted his page and Johnson has allegedly received multiple death threats.  And who the hell would DARE mention his own mom in  misogyny about defecating in either the mouth or the eye of another woman…other than Chris Brown?!

Ever heard of blocking someone Chris?  I’m sure somewhere, right now, Chris Brown is explaining adamantly how he was neither wrong nor would have changed a thing.  Why?  Because he keeps doing the same thing, time and time again.  If Chris Brown is anything, he’s consistent.

Let me be exceptionally clear, there is nothing that Johnson said which necessitated or justified the type of response Brown offered. Only a rudderless child would think such a public and vulgar rant was appropriate or reasonable in nature.  If he says nothing in response, he would have won and Johnson receives the heat but common sense has never been too common in the Brown house.  At times I wished Brown was on drugs or an alcoholic…for then at least there might have been a reasonable explanation for being so out of touch with reality.

But no…it’s just who he is.

For far too long, Brown and his supporters have made the argument that people need to “let it go” or Brown has “paid his debt.”

Wrong…and wrong.

Paying a debt to society only refers to the judicial system and the penalties levied by it. There is no expiration date on the social pariah label. Ask OJ Simpson, and he was even found “not guilty” (well at least the first time around). Ask child molesters and rapists. Brown doesn’t get to decide when the beating of Rihanna no longer matters to you or me. In fact, Rihanna doesn’t decide for us either. Her willingness to re-engage Brown is not a mitigating factor. If anything, it’s battered woman syndrome on full display.

What Brown supporters fail to acknowledge or understand is that one’s artistic ability never outweighs decency. Would we passively accept the random man beating our sister? Would we excuse a random man tossing a chair at a window because he found ONE interview question uncomfortable? Would we make allowances for a random man publicly tweeting he would defecate in the eye of our sister, our mother, our daughter?

Of course we wouldn’t.

It is ridiculous to suggest then that such behavior is more acceptable or excusable because the man in question is not random, but instead a superstar singer. Chris Brown has zero respect for women, none. Chris Brown is unable to control his temper, even post anger management counseling. He’s guilty of verbal and physical abuse of women and public vulgar, misogynistic displays toward women. There’s nothing to debate here. He has demonstrated time and time again he simply doesn’t get it. He can’t even fake it and isn’t trying all that hard to trick you or me.

This is no way excuses Jenny Johnson’s instigation but let’s be real…Jenny to my knowledge didn’t previously send someone half her size to the hospital either.

Deleting a twitter page does nothing to address the root issues here, his emotional instability. Nothing has changed with Brown since first pushing his fist into Rihanna’s eye socket. He is neither contrite nor humble, making the same horrible decisions as he did prior to putting hands on Rihanna. It’s the same guy, acting in the same uncontrollable fashion. We know how this story ends.

And make no mistake, Rihanna reconciling with Brown has only exacerbated the situation. It sends the horrible message to Brown that he has no reason to change. It sends the horrible message to both abusive men and battered women that Brown-Rihanna is either normal or nominal in nature.

There will be another embarrassing and misogynistic Chris Brown incident, of that I’m sure. There will be another public, hateful display and deleting Twitter will do nothing to prevent it. Twitter was never the problem, it was always Brown. That’s like removing all the alcohol from the house but never treating the alcoholic.

Until Brown is truly held accountable for his behavior and is forced to address his emotional instability, there will be no change. If he is unable to reasonably maneuver text criticism regarding the beating of Rihanna even years later, then Brown should withdraw from public life altogether. There will be more criticism and more goading on the horizon, without a doubt.

Punching women in the face with your fists will never be acceptable and no number of hit singles (no pun intended) will ever change this fact.  Delete Chris Brown’s career, not just his Twitter feed.

The Mo’Kelly Report is a syndicated politics and entertainment journal. Visit http://mrmokelly.com for the latest from Mr. Mo’Kelly. Tune into The Mo’Kelly Show Saturdays from 6-8pm PDT on KFI AM640 and XM 166 Saturdays and Sundays from 8pm-9pm PST. Contact Mo’Kelly at mrmokelly@gmail.com.

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The Mo’Kelly Report is a syndicated politics and entertainment journal. Visit http://mrmokelly.com for the latest from Mr. Mo’Kelly. Tune into The Mo’Kelly Show Saturdays from 6-8pm PDT on KFI AM640 and XM 166 Saturdays and Sundays from 8pm-9pm PDT. Contact Mo’Kelly at mrmokelly@gmail.com.

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Sometimes life is the best answer to any question of “why.”  This would be one of them.  Within the space of a week, the supposed “debate” (and Mo’Kelly uses that word quite loosely), renewed as to why we as African-Americans have no reason keeping “Nigga” in our lexicon.

Dr. Maya Angelou and rapper Common

After reciting a poem on “The Dreamer,” the opening track from Common‘s new album The Dreamer/The Believer, Dr. Maya Angelou expressed disappointment over the rapper’s use of the N-word on the track.

During a call-in interview with 106th & Park on Monday, Dr. Angelou clarified her stance.

I don’t think the word ‘disappointment’ quite makes it. I was surprised,” says Angelou about Common’s language on the track. “I know that Common is brilliant — he may, in fact, be close enough to be called a genius, I’m not sure. I know we’re all in process, and young artists are in process.  Next week, he might not use the n-word”

Rihanna and the Magazine Article

Now juxtapose these events with the recent story regarding Rihanna being dubbed as a “Nigga Bitch” in a Dutch magazine.

So much for taking the power from word eh? No matter what, all it takes is ONE utterance of the word and we are back to where we started.

Story HERE.

Part of the reason a Dutch magazine would be so bold/comfortable to characterize Rihanna as a “Nigga Bitch” is inextricably linked to our willingness to refer to Black people as “Niggas” and Black women more specifically as “Bitches.”

Sometimes life is the best answer to any question of “why.”  This would be one of them.  Sometimes, there doesn’t need to be some long and drawn out editorial.  Sometimes, life will do the job all by itself.

Or… how about this?

Terrence Howard Divorce Battle

Terrence Howard says his estranged wife Michelle Ghent hates Black people and alleges she would often call him names like, “monkey” and “n****r”.  How and why she ultimately managed to marry Terrence Howard is anybody’s guess, but nevertheless it still speaks the vitriolic nature of the word and its incendiary certainty.

Story HERE.

Mo’Kelly will just let life do all the talking this time around.

The Mo’Kelly Report is a syndicated politics and entertainment journal. Visit http://mrmokelly.com for the latest from Mr. Mo’Kelly. Contact him at mrmokelly@gmail.com.

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Mo’Kelly wants to be out in front of this.  Let the comparisons to Chris Brown

Matthew Fox

begin.  Let’s collectively examine how the media addresses this issue, the subsequent revelations/apologies and where it goes for Fox’s career from here.

Right now, the score is zero-zero.  We will see if this negatively impacts Fox’s career (regardless of court outcome).  Will there be an apology tour?  Will there be an interview with Good Morning America?

There will not be any Monday Morning Quarterbacking in The Mo’Kelly Report.  We will follow this story step-by-step.

It is though indicated that the bus driver might have BROKEN HER HAND in punching Fox back.  According to Borman, Fox was punching her in her CROTCH!

WOWZERS!

_______________________

Lost” actor Matthew Fox was arrested after allegedly punching the female bus driver of a party bus,according to The Hollywood Reporter. In attempt to return to his hotel in Cleveland, Ohio on Saturday night, Fox reportedly struck the driver in the chest and stomach after she refused to allow him aboard the vehicle, TMZ reports – Fox was not a part of the private party that had rented out the bus.

The 29-year-old driver also landed a blow to Fox’s face — and may have broken her hand in the process. Fox has been released to a friend following his arrest. But Fox’s victim, Heather Bormann, has since spoken out about the actor’s violent outburst: “This was my self-defense,” Bormann told TMZ. “This was the only way I could protect myself … from a man beating up on a woman.”

FULL STORY HERE.

Bormann’s Interview with TMZ HERE.

The Mo’Kelly Report is an entertainment journal with a political slant; published at The Huffington Post and EURWEB.com. For the most recent posts of Mr. Mo’Kelly, visit http://mrmokelly.com.  Mr. Mo’Kelly can be reached at mrmokelly@gmail.com.

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Eventually Russell Simmons will get around to telling the truth. It probably

Russell Simmons

won’t be anytime soon, but there’s always hope, as slim as it might be.

Simmons is by most accounts the ambassador and titular head of hip hop. From his role in the development of the landmark music label Def Jam records with Rick Rubin in the 80s, to the eponymous Broadway and HBO spoken word program Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam; Simmons has led the evolution of hip hop each step of the way.

Even today, his news and entertainment website Globalgrind.com is arguably the leader for all things pop and political and their sometimes curious intersection. Despite Simmons’ illustrious and unparalleled impact on popular culture, he’s been historically loathe to tell the truth. Recently Ashley Judd apologized for remarks relating to her reticence to work with

Ashley Judd

YouthAIDS, because of its affiliation with Snoop Dogg and Sean “Diddy” Combs.

As far as I’m concerned, most rap and hip-hop music — with its rape culture and insanely abusive lyrics and depictions of girls and women as ‘hos’ — is the contemporary soundtrack of misogyny.”

Although we should be able to agree that the phrase “rape culture” may be hyperbolic and incendiary, the rest of Judd’s quote is accurate. Russell Simmons, who although was kind enough to publish Judd’s apology, has yet to get around to using his influence to address, acknowledge or more importantly admonish the hip hop community for its deplorable treatment of women.

Eventually Russell Simmons will get around to telling the truth. It just won’t be anytime soon.

March 15, 2011 – Simmons published an editorial detailing the cold shoulder comedian Bill Cosby gave him recently, allegedly related to an ongoing dispute over the imagery and impact of hip hop on youth. Instead of acknowledging the truth and accuracy of Cosby’s criticisms, Simmons chose instead to focus on Cosby’s profanity and dismissive attitude towards him.

When I look back, I feel remorse for judging him (Cosby). And it has been a source of a “rap beef” for years.  He has been critical of the poets but I have maintained that the entertainment, especially most of the poets, are simple reflections of cultures of truth.”

How Simmons managed to bypass and step across the historical vulgarity of hip hop to chastise Bill Cosby for his use of profanity is not only hypocritical, it’s hysterically laughable. In addition, euphemistically characterizing rappers as “poets” to obfuscate hip hop reality is another distortion of the very “truth” he purports hip hop represents. Nevertheless, Simmons’ version of the “truth” always stops short of critical analysis of the hip hop genre.

Remember, Simmons was clear… “I have maintained that the entertainment, especially most of the poets, are simple reflections of cultures of truth.”

Hip hop degrading women is not reflective of any truth, with the exception of the permissive nature of the ONLY music genre which employs and celebrates it. It is neither appreciated nor acceptable in the real world where the rest of us live; only in hip hop…and that’s the truth…Russell.

A beaten Rihanna

March 24, 2011 – Simmons came to the defense of social pariah Chris Brown with the editorial, Chris Brown: When Fame Snatches Your Freedom

I sat with Chris Brown, one of the greatest performing artists of his time, during his celebration dinner for the release of his new album, F.A.M.E.  I know that this young man’s dancing, singing and art are his prayers. Without them, he’s left to deal with a cluttered world in a way that is far too complicated than he imagined when he was a 13-year-old kid with a dream of being famous. I am troubled by the people, critics and members of the media who drag Chris away from his art. His freedom is deeply rooted in his artistic expression. It is during those seconds of stillness when you’re dancing that the Christ/Buddha/Allah/Moses inside of you is awakened and comes to power.”

Not only did Simmons manage to avoid offering any thoughts on the evils of domestic violence against women, he even placed blame with those who find fault with Brown for punching out Rihanna or the windows while at Good Morning America.

“It is during those seconds of stillness when you’re dancing that the Christ/Buddha/Allah/Moses inside of you is awakened and comes to power.”

- Russell Simmons on Chris Brown

Russell…care to comment on what Christ/Buddha/Allah/Moses might have to say about beating the snot out of a woman? Mic checka…1-2-1-2 (Mo’Kelly hands Simmons the microphone).

Didn’t think so…

If misogyny were a drug, Simmons would be the chief enabler for the user, the head lobbyist on Capitol Hill for the legislator and the top neighborhood dealer.

One’s art is never explanation , or justification for criminal behavior. This applies to Charlie Sheen, Roman Polanski and most definitely Chris Brown. Russell Simmons is simply not interested in telling the truth about hip hop or the misogyny found within it.  He is complicit in its promulgation and it’s time SOMEBODY told the truth.  Mo’Kelly needs to say it again…

If misogyny were a drug, Simmons would be the chief enabler for the user, the head lobbyist on Capitol Hill for the legislator and the top neighborhood dealer.

Let’s now go deeper on this search for “truth.”

The powerful messages and imagery of hip hop don’t only have deleterious effects on the masses, but also the messengers who impart them. The lines between artistry and reality have been blurred to the point that hip hop artists by and large are destined to become imprisoned, broke, or both.

In the first 3.5 months of 2011, the first 100 days, the following rappers…er uh, POETS have been arrested.

Young Fly Richy (Just added 4.13) – Filing False Police Report/Faking Death

http://zuri1.com/2011/04/10/photographer-and-rapper-arrested-after-he-lied-about-being-kidnapped-raped-on-twitter/

Skull Duggery (Just added 4.13) – Possession of Child Porn, Just Sentenced

http://allhiphop.com/stories/news/archive/2011/04/13/22670592.aspx

DMX – Parole violation

http://quieroweb.net/dmx-one-year-in-prison-for-violating-probation.htm

Juelz Santana – Drugs

http://kimoracochran.com/rapper-juelz-santana-arrest/

Jim Jones – Suspended License

http://www.tmz.com/2011/03/30/jim-jones-arrested-rapper-manhattan-police-new-york-city-nyc-driving-on-a-suspended-license/

Juvenile – Drugs

http://www.tmz.com/2011/02/27/juvenile-arrested-marijuana-possession-louisiana-weed-pot/

Gucci Mane – Reckless Driving/Parole violation of drug sentence

http://www.avclub.com/articles/rapper-gucci-mane-arrested-again,47165/

Gucci Mane – AGAIN (Battery – throwing a woman from a moving car)

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20052834-504083.html

Flocka Flame – Drug and weapons

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1655228/waka-flocka-flame-arrested-on-drug-weapons-charges.jhtml

Rick Ross – Drugs

http://ca.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idCATRE72R6OQ20110328

40 Glocc – Weapons

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/01/rapper-40-glocc-arrested-in-san-bernardino.html

Webbie – Drugs

http://www.fox19.com/Global/story.asp?S=14398358

Swag – Drugs

http://www.prohiphop.com/2011/01/rapper-swag-arrested-for-running-a-drug-operation.html

Dorrough – Drugs

http://blogonblast.com/2011/02/08/dallas-rapper-dorrough-arrested/

Koke – Murder

http://getwritegossip.com/2011/04/07/roc-nation-rapper-arrested-for-murderbritish-artist-k-koke-in-custody-for-march-shooting/

Now for the list of just NOTABLE rappers POETS either presently in, or on their way to jail in 2011.

C-Murder – Murder

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C-Murder

Scarface – Failure to pay child support and other unrelated federal charges

http://hiphopwired.com/2011/02/03/rapper-scarface-arrested-held-without-bail/

Willie D – Wire and fraud charges

http://hiphopwired.com/2011/02/03/rapper-scarface-arrested-held-without-bail/

T. I. – Guns, Weapons, Parole violations

http://www.tmz.com/2010/11/01/t-i-jail-prison-federal-probation/

Ja Rule – Weapons, Tax Evasion

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2011-03-09/gossip/28689286_1_rapper-ja-rule-dennis-cherry-gun-possession

That is just a short list of those in jail or on their way to jail in the first 100 days of 2011. The list does not include those recently released (i.e. Lil Wayne, Prodigy, Mystikal, Shyne, Da Brat et al.)

Maybe if Ashley Judd changed “rape culture” to “drug and prison culture” there would have been little blowback from hip hop POET apologists.

If it’s about detailing the “simple reflections of cultures of truth” then let’s do that. Clearly Simmons isn’t about the business of engaging hip hop in a dialogue which involves critical self-analysis. Might as well be Mo’Kelly then. Simmons will likely tell you that “fame” snatched away all of their freedom too and we as law-abiding citizens should be loathe to criticize them or their criminal behavior. Don’t hate Mo’Kelly Russell, he’s just a “poet of prose” shining a light on the truth.

Ashley Judd should not have apologized for telling the truth. The historical treatment of women in relation to hip hop is indefensible. The uncritical, irresponsible complicity of Russell Simmons is equally undeniable.

Eventually Russell Simmons will get around to telling the truth. On second thought, make that “hopefully.”

No guarantees.

The Mo’Kelly Report is an entertainment journal with a political slant; published at The Huffington Post and EURWEB.com. For more Mo’Kelly, http://mrmokelly.com. Mr. Mo’Kelly can be reached at mrmokelly@gmail.com.

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Maybe this is the “unfairness” in which Brown was referring.  He busts the

Tom Bergeron

windows out of ABC studios and is still allowed to perform on DWTS.  Very few people, Black or White would have such an opportunity still handed to him.

Evidently host Tom Bergeron isn’t all that comfortable with having Brown on the program either.

I did tell the producers it may be to their advantage to not have me interview him, because my natural tendency would be to say something, so don’t put me in a position where you are asking me to not say something, because I really won’t do that.”

Story HERE.

In other news…Brown’s publicist (Tammy Brook) quit on him.  No surprise there.  The only real surprise is her hanging in this long.

Story HERE.

The Mo’Kelly Report is an entertainment journal with a political slant; published at The Huffington Post and EURWEB.com. For more Mo’Kelly, http://mrmokelly.com. Mr. Mo’Kelly can be reached at mrmokelly@gmail.com.

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