Among Friends, Is it Okay?

Do you refer to yourself as a "ho," or "trick," or worse?
Now, of course not, is what you'll say. But how about when you're with your girls? Do the usual standards of decency relax or is the debate over words just a facade?
Can black people "flip" meanings of words and as a result promote them outwardly as a "term of endearment"?
How do you feel about that?
Do you listen to music that trumpets these words as descriptions for black women? If so, you. are. part. of. the. problem.
I know, I know, you have a right, freedom of speech, perogative: All true, but shouldn't your freedom to swing a bat end at somebody else's nose? If so, then your saying these words should end with their ears, right?
Hurtful words have been supposedly banished and 'buried' only to come back more vicious and more powerful when it has a good beat or big storyline.
Are you and your girlfriends just bad b--tches? How do you feel about that?

Why Hasn't He Said Something?

His Royal Badness, Prince Rogers Nelson has said nary a word on the passing of his musical rival, Michael Jackson.
Not that he's supposed to, but generally two masters in the same arena acknowledge each other in death, if not in life.
The two geniuses were musical opposites in their hey day, pushing each other to new creative heights.
"Thriller" was met by "Purple Rain."
"Bad" was countered with "Sign O the Times."
Prince was the do-it-all musician was Michael was the consummate performer.
You could be in both camps but you couldn't love both of them the same.
That's just how it was.
Now that one is no longer with us, the other's absence is stark.

Finding Susan Moonsie

There are celebrities that fall off, then there are celebrities that fall off the planet.
Susan Moonsie, former Vanity 6 mate and Prince protegee and former girlfriend, is one of them.
TV shows and radio programs will frequently do a "Where Are They Now?" segment on people who were once famous. Given the popularity of Prince, his minions and the whole Minneapolos SoundThis text in the early 1980s, interests has understandably ebbed and flowed.
But Moonsie, and her present whereabouts, have apparently been untraceable.
Untraceable to CNN, Newsweek, Vibe, Time, New York Times, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, etc. Nothing. Nada.
Her sightings are the stuff of lore.
While much has been written about Brenda Bennett and Denise Matthews aka Vanity, nary a word has surfaced as to the whereabouts of Susan Moonsie.
Is oblivion treating her well?
Has she holed up in the house of another celebrity?
Inquiring minds simply be wanting to know.
Where is Susan Moonsie?

Do Prince and Rihanna Look Alike?

More than a few people have said that in person Prince and RiRi have more than a striking resemblance to each other. Not to me, but to you, do they look alike, or at least like kissing cousins?

Prince's '21 Nights' PhotoEssay

Word has it that in 2007 Prince and photographer Randee St. Nicholas collaborated on a project that documented the Purple One's 21-night consecutive jam at London's 02 Arena. These are a few of the pics. My question is, does the brotha age at all?!



Prince jammin' in London, as he's been known to do for the past 30 years now (whew). Seems like just yesterday I heard "Do Me, Baby" on the radio and wondered who the chick was. Now I know.

Behind the set: The princesses get done up. Prince Rogers Nelson has rolled with a flock of chicks for some time now (including the two twins from England to the right).

Exhausted, after another show, then after-party of the show. The man has not stopped working in 30 years. Don't believe me? Check his discography.

They're Stockpiling Diamonds. And No One's Buying

The demand for diamonds has all but dried up worldwide, according to a New York Times story . But that hasn't stopped the Russian-owned company from stockpiling them monthly and putting them in a vault. A woman that handles them says: “I’m not a robot. I sometimes think to myself ‘wow, what a pretty diamond. I would like that one.’ They are all so beautiful.”
But diamonds are so 2006, don't you think? People are realizing that a quartz rock can't pay a light bill, or give me a job. Are diamonds still a girl's best friend?

Who is Dambisa Moyo?

This chick with more than a passing resemblance to Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child and Venus Williams is in the New York Times talking major trash about American celebrities who stretch their faces on big screens to wail for Africa. She's from Zambia with degrees from Harvard and Oxford, And she may have a point. Check out her tirade here.