Whether hell or high water came, I was not entering this weekend without the new iPhone 4 in my possession.

Yeah, I know for weeks, I was stating that I was not going to get it but I got weak, & the tech gadget whore within me took over my mind. And when I read that Radio Shack was doing a trade in program, I said fuck it, what the hell.

So after I heard about the offer, I called my local Radio Shack to confirm & I was told that it was indeed true.

The deal was, if you turn in a iPhone 3Gs, Radio Shack would give you up to $200 bucks in trade for you to purchase the new iPhone.  In my case it was a win-win because I didn’t have to come out of my pocket & I would have a brand new phone.

The thing I hate though is that I’m pimped out by AT&T again for another 2 years.

The service in my area is great, don’t get me wrong but when I travel it’s another frustrating story.

So rewind to 9am yesterday morning (June 24, 2010), I’m in line at Radio Shack.  The line was not long at all, maybe 13/14 people with me being at the tail end.

I’m waiting in line patiently, when 15 minutes later, the manager of the store came out & informed us all that they only received 1, yes 1 (one, uno, une, um, ein) fucking iPhone 4.

As you can guess, a lot of us were more than disappointed.  In the meantime, I left my name on the waiting list to be called when more phones came in.

Once I left empty handed, I remembered that Walmart was also carrying the iPhone 4 so I headed there next (good thing both stores were in the same plaza).

Long story short, I left empty handed because the 1 (one, uno, une, um, ein) iPhone 4 they had was long gone.  My dreams shattered once again!

Later in the evening, Radio Shack issued this statement on their Facebook page.

After my let down, I, later decided to call the Apple store to see what was going on & the guy answering was like, if you are not in line now, you will not be getting a phone this day.

Like a fool, I said fuck it (in my mind) & ran over & got in line. As I entered the line, a woman approached & was like your chances are none & none on getting a phone.  I was like damn!  So she took my info & put me on a waiting list.

Again, I left empty handed.

So fast forward to today about 1230, I decided to call the Radio Shack to see if more phones came in. The young woman (Yaritza, the Dominican diva) on the other end said yes & I left you a voicemail. I’m like what, my phone never went off.

Anyway, I was like, I’m on my way. I dropped everything & hit the door like a lunatic.

Twenty minutes later, I run into the store & wound up with the last of the 4 phones that came in today.

SCORE!!!!

While in line, 3 more people from yesterday came in because they got the same call. They all looked at me like I oughtta… when the learned that I got the last one. Ooooops, I move quick bitch!

Next time, I’ll just preorder & avoid all the running around (which was kinda fun in a weird way).

So I got my phone, I’m happy & all I need now is a damn case.

By the way, if you dig the background on my phone, you can get it along with a few special others here for FREE 99.

Photo Credit:
Pictured:Jersey City Allen “Prince” Brown
Photog: Reena Rose Sibayan for The Jersey Journal

I fucking love this sing!!!! If you’ve never heard it & have the new Erykah Badu release then”Arrow Through Me” should sound familiar.

Hint: “Gone Baby, Don’t Be Long”

Erykay Badu got the clearance to use a sample of this songs shortly before her album; New Amerykah Part 2: Return of the Ankh was released from Paul McCartney via Twitter connections.

Lucky for Erykah, Lenny Kravitz saw her request for help who then got in touch with his friend Stella McCartney who then connected her dad Paul.

Erykah got very lucky & this is a true testament to the power of social these days.

The hottest & most intriguing news story these last few days has been the Eyjafjallajokull volcano. I really think the earth is trying to tell us something big! With earthquakes happening everywhere creating havoc & two Icelandic volcanoes halting all Trans Atlantic/intra-European travel while blanketing much of Europe with ash, I wonder what’s next. Well, maybe I don’t want to know.

In other totally unrelated Black news:

Vivica Fox has a new wig line, Guru (hip-hop legend) & Dorothy Height (civil rights pioneer) are dead, Kwame Kilpatrick is guilty of violating parole & Cirque du Soleil announces plans to create Michael Jackson show. What a day in Black history.

Just saying.

When VA Gov. Bob McDonnell announced that the month of April will be “Confederate Month” in his state by decree it was just a matter of time before blood started leaking out of old oppressive wounds.

Not only did he note that April was Confederate Month in VA, he also failed to mention SLAVERY or the events that initiated the the civil war. Double fail!

It wasn’t until people raised concern over his foolish & hurtful decree that McDonnell saw a need to include the mention of peculiar institution of slavery. Then he offered this sappy mea culpa:

“The proclamation issued by this Office designating April as Confederate History Month contained a major omission. The failure to include any reference to slavery was a mistake, and for that I apologize to any fellow Virginian who has been offended or disappointed,” said McDonell.

The abomination of slavery divided our nation, deprived people of their God-given inalienable rights, and led to the Civil War. Slavery was an evil, vicious and inhumane practice which degraded human beings to property, and it has left a stain on the soul of this state and nation.”

Racists love to apologize and want to hold hands after they have been busted shitting on the existence of other people.

Then you have this jump off here with Roland Martin & Brag Bowling.

Bragg illustrates exactly why we need to stop using the words “post racial.”  America is straight up racial! And Obama’s presidency really doesn’t mean shit when it all boils down to it.

Part 1

Part 2

All I can say about Bragg is a fool will never comprehend his own ignorance.

On a related note; If you ever wondered what America would be like if the Confederate army actually won, then you have to see the “Confederate States of America” movie! MUST!

You may have heard the sad news that Emmy winning TV writer, producer & loved blogger David Mills aKa “Undercover Black Man” passed week.

David’s sudden death came as a huge shock! His last blog post was 3/29/10 & it has been flooded with messages of condolences.

Another factor of this loss is that David was a writer on the upcoming HBO show “Treme,” which deals with the drama in New Orleans post Hurricane Katrina. Treme is set to debut April 11, 2010 & you can see a preview of Treme here. I’ll be watching!

David’s talent, humor & love of music will surely be missed!

So a related lighter note, my girl Thembi of “What Would Thembi Do” pointed to me to one of David’s blog posts where he interviewed Eldridge Cleaver.

The interview covered a lot of ground but my point of interest was the topic of fashion. Yes fashion. Who knew that Angry old Eldrigde could have had people talking at NYC fashion week?

Here is a portion of the interview:

MILLS: A few years ago, you were in the news for designing pants for men with a pouch in front to contain the genitals. Whatever became of those pants?

CLEAVER: As far as a business venture? I’m not a businessman so I wasn’t able to do any spectacular business. I lost money. But from an aesthetic point of view, from the point of view of clothing, I think this whole thing has been misunderstood.

My design had to do with an argument against what’s being done with our clothing. Who controls our clothing? If you notice, the clothing industry is dominated by homosexuals. They want men and women to look basically the same.

There are a lot of problems involved in the design of men’s clothing. The way our clothing is designed right now requires a man to wear his genitals in either his right or his left pants leg. There are a lot of implications to that. Scientifically, it’s been determined that that structure generates a lot of heat that has a decomposing effect on sperm. There’s a whole warping effect that comes from wearing your genitals in your pants leg.

There’s a lot of evil in society that comes from clothing. Most of us are completely ignorant of this. One of the things that distinguishes us from animals is that we have the control of our second skin. This is a great power, because we can go underwater, we can go to the moon, we can go to the desert, to Alaska, because we just don’t have scales or hair. We have a technology where we manage our second skin.

This is a sacred responsibility, yet like many other things it is dealt with frivolously. And one of the most obnoxious things that is happening today is what the homosexuals are doing to our clothing.

If you view your pants as an extension of the fig leaf – which is what clothing really is, symbolically speaking – you begin to see that this is very intimately connected with the whole condition of man in the world. Scripturally, the fig leaf came about as a fallout from the fall of man. And I think from that point on, we’ve made a lot of trouble for ourselves by the way we handle our clothing.

All that I can say is, I’m sure he hated Ms Celie’s “FolksPants!” Nothing more. Nothing less.

You can read more from the interview here:

Q&A: Eldridge Cleaver (pt. 1)
Q&A: Eldridge Cleaver (pt. 2)
Q&A: Eldridge Cleaver (pt. 3)

Kinda funny where conversations can lead when discussing Easter outfits. Thx Thembi!

1992 was a big year for me. I entered the 12 grade at Mackenzie High School, I turned 18 years old & I voted for former president Bill Clinton.

Back then, all I cared about was voting for the 1st time, graduating, looking good & my little information booth job at Fairlane mall.

My mind was right up until November 5 that year when one of largest incidences of police brutality occurred in Detroit; the death of Malice Green.

I remember going to school Nov 6th and how many of my friends were saddened and outraged that another Black man was brutilized by the hands of white police officers. Men who swore to serve and protect.

Malice Green’s death ignited a powder keg of racial tension in and around Detroit. As details started to leak about the night the fatal blows ended a life things got more intense & people seemed more angry.

If you know anything about Detroit, then you know that it’s one of the most racially segregated cities in the US (Google it if you don’t believe me) and this case did nothing but present more barriers.

When I drive past the intersection of Warren & 23rd and see the mural dedicated to Malice, I have strong memories of people talking about rioting if the offending officers were convicted. The possibility of rioting was very real then considering the 1992 Los Angeles riots (remember poor Reginald Denny?) which occurred after the police officers who brutally attacked Rodney King were acquitted.

The good news is there was no riot, the officers were convicted & the city began to heal.

On the flip side of this story, I also remember being in love with Kym Worthy who was the prosecutor on the case.

It’s hard to believe this happened 18 years ago.

———————————————————–
Backstory

Malice Green was a resident of Detroit, Michigan who died while in police custody after being arrested by Detroit police officers Walter Budzyn and Larry Nevers on November 5, 1992 during a traffic stop. Both officers were later convicted for Green’s death. While Green’s autopsy showed he had crack cocaine and alcohol in his system, the official cause of death was ruled due to blunt force trauma to his head, although several other prominent neuro-pathologists ruled that Green died from an acute cocaine overdose. Green allegedly failed to relinquish a vial of crack cocaine, attempted to assault the officers, attempted to grab Nevers’ gun and resisted arrest. Nevers struck Green in the head with his flashlight approximately seven times during the struggle which, according to the official autopsy, resulted in his death. Again other neuro-pathologist ruled that his head wounds were superficial, and could not alone have caused death.

After the struggle Green was transported to a local hospital for treatment for the head injuries sustained in the struggle where he died.

A subsequent report presented by the police officers’ paid experts at their trial stated that Green died of heart failure, caused in part by an enlarged heart due to years of substance abuse, and aggravated by the struggle with police.

Green, a drug addict and career criminal, was black and the two decorated officers were white. The incident occurred only months after the Los Angeles riots of 1992, which protested the acquittal of police officers in the video-taped beating of Rodney King. Local leaders, including Detroit Mayor Coleman A. Young, may have feared a repeat of the Los Angeles riots in Detroit. Young stated that Green was “literally murdered by police” on national television less than 72 hours after the incident, before any investigation had been concluded. He also stated that the “wrong” verdict in the case could cause riots similar to those in Los Angeles after the Rodney King incident. (Source | Wikipedia)

Officers Larry Nevers and Walter Budzyn were convicted of second-degree murder in 1993 by a mostly Black jury.

The last week, has been heavy since the news of the 7.0 earthquake in Haiti. The images alone haunted my dreams fro days. The concern over what would happen to my brothers & sisters in the Diaspora in the wake of chaos, destruction & panic broke my heart, as I’m sure is the case with most people who watch and wait for the slightest bit of good news.

The only thing that I knew to do immediately was donate cash for this cause & that was easy. I sent a text message to 501501 with the word Yele. Later, Suite Suzy went online & made a larger donation to the same organization.

Yes, these are small donations but every dollar adds up quickly. So I encourage you to act with a cash donations ASAP.

Here are a few links:

• American Red Cross
• Americares
• CARE
• Direct Relief International
• Doctors Without Borders
• Food for Poor
• Heart to Heart International
• International Rehabilitation Forum
• International Rescue Committee
• Oxfam
• Partners in Health
• Save the Children
• UNICEF
• World Food Programme
• Yele Haiti

As I stated on Twitter earlier this week: “I hate to be the bearer of bad news but prayers don’t deliver food, aid, medicines or missing loved ones. Cash will make all of the above happen. I’m just saying.

On a similar but somewhat related note, I’d like to address Pat Robert’s most ignorant statement to date. In case, you missed it, that fool said… What, you can see for yourself in the video below followed by two on point rebuttals.

I’d like to say Pat Robertson; you have officially been checked bitch!

One a final note, I spotted this very witty note from the devil to Pat Robertson written by Lily Coyle, of Minneapolis on NPR’s website today.

“Dear Pat Robertson,

I know that you know that all press is good press, so I appreciate the shout-out. And you make God look like a big mean bully who kicks people when they are down, so I’m all over that action.

But when you say that Haiti has made a pact with me, it is totally humiliating. I may be evil incarnate, but I’m no welcher. The way you put it, making a deal with me leaves folks desperate and impoverished.

Sure, in the afterlife, but when I strike bargains with people, they first get something here on earth — glamour, beauty, talent, wealth, fame, glory, a golden fiddle. Those Haitians have nothing, and I mean nothing. And that was before the earthquake. Haven’t you seen “Crossroads”? Or “Damn Yankees”?

If I had a thing going with Haiti, there’d be lots of banks, skyscrapers, SUVs, exclusive night clubs, Botox — that kind of thing. An 80 percent poverty rate is so not my style. Nothing against it – I’m just saying: Not how I roll.

You’re doing great work, Pat, and I don’t want to clip your wings — just, come on, you’re making me look bad. And not the good kind of bad. Keep blaming God. That’s working. But leave me out of it, please. Or we may need to renegotiate your own contract.

Best, Satan”

Photo Above:?
Photographer: Unknown
Decedents: 2010 Haiti earthquake victims

After reading Senator Harry Reid’s [“unintentional“] racist comment, I went into blank stare mode, then snapped out & went straight into no that mutha fucka didn’t mode. In case you’ve been under a rock, this fool said privately that he believed Barack Obama was well suited to a presidential run because he is a “light-skinned” African American “with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one.”

First, of all, it’s clear that there is a fear/dislike of the dark skinned Black. Reid’s statement & many echoed around news outlets, blogs etc have led me to believe that all of these incidences of unintentional racism go to the core of beliefs held by many white Americans.

I don’t know how many times today I’ve heard that Barack Obama would have not been our president had he been darker. Sounds like some Willie Lynch shit to me. Is a light Negro less dangerous & friendlier than a dark Negro?

Truth be told, if our ancestors were not raped and… No, I won’t go there, that’s another blog post.

Second, what the fuck is a “Negro dialect?” I’ve been searching for that meaning all weekend! And how does Reid know who has the ability to turn said dialect on & off? Is the ability to turn it on & off based on skin complexion?

Dictionary.com defines dialect as – a variety of a language that is distinguished from other varieties of the same language by features of phonology, grammar, and vocabulary, and by its use by a group of speakers who are set off from others geographically or socially.

Black Americans, just like any other group on this country are now homogeneous. And the last time I polled, my Negro friends, 94.254% of them sounded like my white friends. I’m just saying.

So now people, mainly republicans are calling on Reid to step down. I’m actually torn on this; not sure if he straight up needs to go or if he needs a verbal bitch slap from the top down; starting with the Black Messiah (Barack Obama) himself. Well, I guess that verbal bitch slap from the Black Messiah won’t be coming. He just feels that Reid used “inartful language.”

Lastly, I have an issue with the Congressional Black Caucus unequivocally backing Reid. Where’s the out rage in our “Black” leaders on Capital Hill?

Now: Do I dare broach the subject of a white man claiming that he’s blacker than a Black man? A nasty looking white man, who’s a disgrace to the state of IL, politics in general & possibly his race thinks that he’s blacker than a Black men; the man running this fucking nation? I think not!

Obama may be a lot of things, but one thing is, he is undeniably is the quintessential Black man in every fashion.

This fool Rod Blababitch Blagojevich said to Esquire magazine:

“I’m blacker than Barack Obama. I shined shoes. I grew up in a five-room apartment. My father had a little Laundromat in a black community not far from where he lived. I saw it all growing up.”

Since when does shining shoes give a white man a ghetto pass? Shit, I play golf but that doesn’t make me white, or wanted on the golf course. Actually, I don’t play golf; I just want to make a point.

Honestly, I can’t even be mad at Blagojevich for his dumb ass comment. It’s clear that he’s struggling to remain relevant & in the news. What better way to attempt that by saying something so over the top. Creating this controversy gave this fool another three minutes on his fading fifteen minutes of fame. I guess his upcoming appearance on “Celebrity Apprentice” wasn’t enough.

I’ll tell you; today, I suffered the biggest racial tension headache that I’ve experienced since Don Dumb Imus said with pride; “Them some nappy headed hoes.”

The Dapper D – Meet Tafari Stevenson-Howard
Indigo Zuri for Detroit Men’s Style Examiner

A photographer is a photographer, even in front of his lens; especially in the case of this week’s Dapper D. When first spotted, our subject stood outside the Beverly Hills Grill restaurant awaiting a table. His head to toe look likened that of an intriguing photograph, with places for one’s eyes to wander and investigate, and spaces for them to rest and relax. He wore Afrocentric apparel skillfully mixed with classic tailoring, while placing a huge emphasis on a brilliant show of color reminiscent of the emerging fall foliage. The late September breeze caused his locs to dance elegantly away from his face, and I, your Detroit Men’s Examiner, was intrigued.

Meet Tafari Stevenson-Howard - Devoted husband, loving dad of three, gifted photographer and a definite man of style.

Describe your style. I define my style as eclectic Afro urban chic. I love pulling in hand made West African clothing and accessories or Afro inspired pieces and combining them with basic western pieces.

Who are your favorite designers? Haan, Cole, Kors, Old Navy. (Don’t laugh because they have the best jeans!) Then I have a whole host of everyday designers/artists that I love like Heather Fagan of Bettula, knit artist Yokoo, and Senegalese designer Aziz.

Who/what is/are your style influencers? My style is inspired by comfort! I’m a thick brother so I need to be comfortable! So that means that you will not see me buy into the tight shirt and skinny jeans/pants look.

What style rules do you break? I think I break color rules for men. By that I mean, I love LOUD colors, pinks, yellows, greens. Many of my friends say that I make courageous color choices especially when it comes to shirts & shoes. Perhaps that’s the Detroit in me. I love pushing the envelope but you will never catch me in a pair of pink gators.

What style rule(s) will you not break? Wearing white (pants, jackets, shoes) between Labor day & Memorial day. I don’t care what designers say. Fashion has not changed! Not only that, white looks totally silly when you’re trying to look hot during one of our Michigan winters.

What are you wearing today? Today I’m wearing a tie-dyed and embroidered dashiki from Ghana, gabardine slacks, of course argyle socks (my favorite type of sock) and a birch bark wrist cuff.

(Post Source: www.examiner.com)

Like millions of others yesterday, I stopped my life’s goings on to take part in one of the biggest celebrations of life that we may ever see for our beloved and sometimes misunderstood Michael Jackson.

Watching the celebration online was totally surreal & I can only imagine what the energy inside the Staple Center must have been like.

I was moved many times almost to tears but I stayed strong plus, I did not want to be all crying in public. I do have a rep to maintain.

Anyway, the point I almost lost it for the first time was when my boo Queen Latifah read Maya Angelou’s poem “We Had Him”

“Beloveds, now we know that we know nothing, now that our bright and shining star can slip away from our fingertips like a puff of summer wind.

Without notice, our dear love can escape our doting embrace. Sing our songs among the stars and walk our dances across the face of the moon.

In the instant that Michael is gone, we know nothing. No clocks can tell time. No oceans can rush our tides with the abrupt absence of our treasure.

Though we are many, each of us is achingly alone, piercingly alone.

Only when we confess our confusion can we remember that he was a gift to us and we did have him.

He came to us from the creator, trailing creativity in abundance.

Despite the anguish, his life was sheathed in mother love, family love, and survived and did more than that.

He thrived with passion and compassion, humor and style. We had him whether we know who he was or did not know, he was ours and we were his.

We had him, beautiful, delighting our eyes.

His hat, aslant over his brow, and took a pose on his toes for all of us.

And we laughed and stomped our feet for him.

We were enchanted with his passion because he held nothing. He gave us all he had been given.

Today in Tokyo, beneath the Eiffel Tower, in Ghana’s Black Star Square.

In Johannesburg and Pittsburgh, in Birmingham, Alabama, and Birmingham, England

We are missing Michael.

But we do know we had him, and we are the world.”

Maya’s (like we’re on 1st name basis) words are always on point and right on time. Her words are magical & legendary!

While watching the event I Tweeted live & it was awesome sharing this experience with others in real time from across the globe. A few of my Tweets:

• I’m sure the Staple Center will be filled with people just ready to jump into MJs casket. I hope they have it on lock down. #casketjumper about 14 hours ago
• This service would be over the top if Aretha came out singing “Trouble of the World.” That would break all the way down. #imitationoflife about 11 hours ago
• I’ll never forget when Lionel’s wife beat his ass. I haven’t cared for him since then. But I love the old music. about 12 hours ago
• When are they gonna open the casket? about 11 hours ago
• Al Sharpton either has a tapeworm or he got a gastric bypass. No matter what, he keeps it real & the perm is always fully coiffed & spritzed. about 11 hours ago
• Lets be honest, we’ve never seen a Negro’s funeral run this smooth. NEVER!!!! Its almost unnatural. about 11 hours ago
• I want one of them damn gloves! I must have one. Seriously!!! about 11 hours ago

You know me, it’s hard to stay serious when things are hectic. I have to resort to bullshitting.

So after work, I jumped in my car to head to Detroit to record the vibe at the Motown Museum/Hitsville USA. Have a look at my completed photojournal, which also includes photos from Harlem’s Apollo Theater. The pictures tell far more than I ever could.

Since we got the news well over a week ago, I have submerged myself into a Michael Jackson/The Jacksons/Jackson 5 musical coma while fighting back my emotions.

On the day the world stood still, I had a hard time keeping myself together but I managed. I tried to focus on all of what Michael represented. I thought about how my aunt gave me the “Bad” LP for my birthday when I turned 14. I thought about how I love to work out to “I Can’t Help It” & how I sing aloud without a care in the world.

Like millions of others in the world, I did not know Michael but I feel like did. Maybe its because he was a part of my life musically since I was a baby.

Shit I remember my momma having the “Off The Wall” & “Thriller” albums displayed on our living room wall, along side some of her other favorites of that time.

I remember so much & I only have good memories.

I remember teasing after the “Pepsi commercial” when I was in elementary school.

“Michael Jackson went to town thinking he was pony down. Pepsi Cola burnt him up, now he’s drinking 7-Up. 7-Up had no caffeine, now he’s singing Billie Jean.”

Who made that shit up & why was it so funny back then? We may never know.

So anyway, last week, while on vacation in NYC, I made it a point to visit Harlem so that I could experience 1st hand the frenzy of love circling the Apollo Theater.

When I walked upon the theater, it was hard not to get emotional. I almost had to detach myself from my personal being to work as a photojournalist. It was not an easy task as I’m a very emotional person anyway.

I can only imagine what Harlem will be like today (July 07, 2009).

So, it’s the day that I never thought would come but here it is & I guess finally considering all of the drama being reported out. I mean, Michael converted to Islam months ago & here he is still above ground. I feel that he has been totally disrespected in so many ways.

Will his soul ever be able to rest?

I’ll miss Michael but from the looks of things, he will continue to grace us with music for a long time to come. I’ll be there for every release. I am a fan & I’m not afraid to say that I LOVE Michael Jackson, no matter what.

To see other images that I captured at the Michael Jackson Tribute Memorial at the Apollo Theater, click here.