The reason why Barack Obama can't win for losing...

With the first debate now behind us, I've received quite a few texts
and phone calls full of opinions. There was one view that rung loudly
on average: Obama's strength (his lack of swagger).

I've noticed something about Obama's campaign that is unprecedented;
everybody has an opinion on what Obama should do, or what he's not
doing enough of. And it's not about his views and/or perspectives -
it's always about how he handles himself. Why can't he just be himself
without someone questioning his persona? McCain might be old, however,
he never takes flack for how he handles himself as a man.

When Obama wasn't doing attack adds against McCain, people wanted him
to do so. People wanted him to prove that he was patriotic, so he had
to put on a pin. People wanted for Obama to be more confident, stronger
with his initiatives; he does it and now those same people want him to
ease off so that he's not referred to as an elitist.

Barack Obama is in an unprecedented position. His Harvard degree versus
McCain's battle scars places him in a position to take tougher
questions. Obama just can't say that he has a plan; people want him to
walk them through his plan. McCain can say that he won't raise taxes
and he doesn't have to elaborate unless forced.

You know what I believe it comes down to? Black Intelligence. Bush used
the fear factor and a little bit of voter fixing to regain his seat in
the White House. Obama's intelligence as a black man is the new fear
factor. And you know what is ticking me off? My spell check doesn't
even know who Barack Obama is... I had to add his name to my dictionary
just to get rid of the red marks.

Barack Obama can't win for losing, yet he is fighting extremely hard to
maintain his character. He's being pulled every which way because
everybody wants him to be every thing but himself. This man is not
Colin Powell, he's not Michael Jordan, he's not MLK, and he's not Chris
Rock. He is not a savior; he isn't all things to all people. Obama is a
human-being human. Maybe when people can get off his back and let him
be himself, then he'll have a fair chance at winning in November...

It's Swizz Beatz...

Interview took place on March 16th, 2007

5:30pm, Platinum Sounds Studio, New York, New York... New York City is currently becoming blanketed by diamond shaped, slushy sky projectiles. The northeast is looking at quite possibly the nastiest storm of 2007. But I’m still a half hour early for my scheduled chop-up with mega-producer, Swizz Beatz. Swizz’s publicist is on the phone with her client every 5 minutes to check his current location. Swizz should already be in the building, but he's stuck in traffic on the George Washington Bridge. So while we wait on Swizz to arrive, we decided to knock out some addictive Buffalo wings while watching America’s Top Model, the first season.

6:25pm - Swizz walks into the studio with his beautiful wife, R&B artist Mashonda. Luck would have it that the owner of Platinum Sounds would stroll through the door right behind him.

6:27pm - Power producer Wyclef Jean walks into the studio to show Swizz some love. Everybody in attendance lit up as the Fugees general made his way through the packed studio area. As Swizz and Wyclef embraced, I saw that connection as more than just a show of mutual respect for one another; I saw the numbers – more than 200,000,000 records sold between them. Some of the most vital songs in Hip-Hop history over the past 12 years were orchestrated by this connection. Flash! History was immortalized in High Definition.

6:45pm - Swizz begins his Listening session for his soon to be released album, “One Man Band Man.” He was very animated during the session, lip-syncing to all of his lyrics, while dramatizing each action demonstrated by his penmanship. And when you speak of his tracks, there wasn’t a still head in the studio. Listening to a Swizz beat can be compared to having an extra heart in your chest; and your knee; and your brain. But I’ll leave the total description of a Swizz beat to a professional. “Swizz is Switzerland,” Wyclef says of his colleague. “Swizz is real money. Swizz is perhaps one of the illest producers, period. People often try to copy his beats, but his style is natural and all his own.”

7:00pm – I received a call from XPOZ newcomer, Rodney Duque live from Swizz Beatz NYC studio. I asked him about what he thought of the album, and this was his reply.

7:59pm - Swizz unleashes the remix for his first single, ‘It's Me Bitches’ featuring a French speaking Lil' Wayne, a shot calling R. Kelly and a C.R.E.A.M. spewing Jadakiss to bring the mix home. “I didn't want for my album to be a compilation,' says Swizz when asked why his album isn't flooded with his industry brethren. “I wanted for this album to focus on my story. I know what ya'll were expecting. You were waiting for DMX to pop out of nowhere. You expected to hear Jay-Z all over my shit. But I chose to save collaborations for the remixes.”

The remix for, ‘It's Me Bitches’ is highly sought after. Just the night before, Swizz joined Funk Master Flex on stage to play it for an unsuspecting crowd, and that crowd went ape bonkers over it. With a remix this exclusive, it's a well known fact that industry politics won't be too far behind. “It's getting very political right now,” Swizz says as he gets off of his phone talking about the same mix that was just played. “Everybody wants to get their hands on this song. Not too many people were backing it when it was completed. So I am telling people, ‘you can have it one week, and then you can have it the next week.’

8:30pm – A majority of the media in attendance were sent on their way since XPOZ had a scheduled photo shoot planned for Swizz. My friend, Stephen Knight sat down with the Monsta’ to extend his ideas for the shoot. Swizz wasn’t necessarily prepared for the shoot, but it was a good thing that he still was dressed up to par. “Man, if I would have remembered that ya’ll were giving me the cover,” Swizz continues, “I would have brought my cover story shit.”

8:45pm – Swizz and I decided to sit down for our conversation in the kitchen area… closer to the Atomic wings.

Talk about a few of the obstacles that you still feel was instrumental to shaping you into the business man that you are today?

Swizz Beatz: Just the obstacles of the industry structure as far as underestimating our culture, our people of being incapable of making decisive business decisions; making investments and not just chasing money. To them, you’re just another mu’fucking rapper or producer. You’re just another number on a piece of paper that they will tally up at the end of the year. I decided to separate myself from that bracket. When you’re young and you’re getting those checks, nothing else really matters. But once you begin to realize your worth and notice all of the hard work that you’re putting in, but your business wasn’t taken care of, it just makes the whole situation crazy. So right now I’m in the middle of a war. I see so many artists and producers going through the hardships knowing that they’ll never have a fair chance, because the industry isn’t built for you to have a fair chance. So if you don’t come into the game with your business plan in place, you’ll be lost; you’ll lose your title. Right now, I’m in the process of gaining my title back. I need 25% of my title back… I already have the rest.

Name a few of the artist that you have recently clocked in studio time with?

Swizz Beatz: I’ve worked with Chris Brown, Eve, Bone Thugs & Harmony, Weezy, Kanye’, just a lot of people. Oh, can’t forget Usher and Nelly.

You played an important part at the first ONE STOP SHOP conference in Arizona. Talk about what you hoped to get out of this event and what do you feel the overall was result looking back on it?

Swizz Beatz: I know that the whole event was beneficial. But what I felt was just as important was ending the speculation about any issues between G-Unit and myself. I don’t have any issues with anybody… that’s just not how I handle my business. Sha Money reached out to me to be a part of the event, so I accepted. Plus, that’s my place out there in Arizona as well. So it was all love making that happen.

If you only had a short moment to give advice to a producer who was looking for that push to success, what would you tell that person?

Swizz Beatz: Stay creative…

How has your favorite means of studio equipment changed since you entered the game over 10 years ago?

Swizz Beatz: Probably about 10% because I keep the same formula. I don’t depend on the equipment to be creative. I just need the basics and I can take it from there.

You’re known for your production skills, but is often overlooked lyrically. If you could control the perception that people have of you, in which direction would you take them?

Swizz Beatz: I want for people to look beneath the lyrics. So many people like to look down on a situation from the skyscrapers. But they don’t pay attention to the people inside of the building who are keeping the lights on. I would just want for people to take my messages seriously.

Photo by: Stephen Knight

TI and his K.I.N.G. Foundation brings ‘Real Talk’ to ‘Real Life’

The Grand Hustle K.I.N.G. Foundation (Kids in Need of Giving) in partnership with IT’S COOL TO BE SMART kicked off their summer Education Tour “How I Can Change the Music Industry” Real Talk Series on June 11th in Philadelphia.

Atlantic Records and Grand Hustle General, TI made a surprising appearance at the Harambee Institute (Charter School) to talk to an overly excited, yet extremely attentive crowd of impressionable students.

“There’s a lot of lessons about morals, standards and principles that young men in the hood, like myself don’t get a chance to learn,” TI said to the young men in attendance. “All that we know is violence; but violence is hardly ever the answer; it’s close to never the answer. You have to put thought to it – sleep on it. 9 times out of 10, if you got a problem with somebody, if you don’t catch them when you’re mad – when two to three days go by, it’s over with. Imagine if you react quickly and you have to spend the rest of your life paying for it – it’s just not worth it. You have to learn how to let things go; how to respect one another. You never know who you may need in the future.”

“Now where are the young ladies at,” TI asks to gain attention from the girls in attendance. “Now I know that you hear a lot from the music; I know that you watch a lot of the videos and you see a lot going happening on television – but I’m going to tell you first hand. ENTERTAINMENT is different from REAL LIFE. Just because you see things happening on television that is done by people to be in the ENTERTAINMENT industry, doesn’t mean that it’s suitable in REAL LIFE. The clothes that you see these young ladies wearing on TV, don’t think that they are wearing that everyday because it doesn’t go down like that. People will always treat you the way that you present yourself. So if you treat yourself like an upstanding young lady, people will treat you like an upstanding young lady.”

IT’S COOL TO BE SMART’s goal is to provide teen girls with an opportunity to shadow professional women and show a different side of the industry. The Grand Hustle K.I.N.G. Foundation (Kids In Need of Giving), Inc. seeks to provide support to high-risk children, adolescents, and their families in underserved communities. And together, “How I Can Change the Music Industry” Real Talk Series focuses on youth writing down their questions and opinions on having the opportunity of becoming a musical artist but making positive changes in their communities.

This community altering program brings new meaning to having “Big Things Poppin”…

Photographs by: Anthony Foye

One to Watch in 2007: Amadeus

A day after the deadline for our “4 Elements of Hip-Hop” Issue, I was roaming through the Time Square vicinity trying to get my hands on a Nintendo Wii, when I ran into an old colleague of mine, urban producer: Amadeus.

My dude was locked in the studio over the past few months clocking in time with a some of the most anticipated artists to release albums in 2007. So with a schedule such as his at the time, I had to place my Nintendo Wii hunt on hold to snatch 15 minutes off of his leisure time. We took a walk through the video game section of the Virgin Mega Store and got caught up on what he has been up to…

Off of name value, I’m not sure if many of our readers are immediately familiar with your production catalog. So fIf you can name 3 songs that you’d like for our readers to know you by, what are those 3 contributions?

Amadeus: That’s a good question… the first one I would have to say is Cam’ron’s ‘Take Em to Church’, which was the diss record towards Ma$e. I believe that it was a big record in Hip-Hop being that they grew up together, same hood, same basket ball team, etc. I would have to say the second song is ‘Grandma’ which was on the first Mike Jones album. ‘Grandma’ was the song that meant to most to Mike on that album. If you know his story, you know how important is grandmother was to his life and his career. She was the one who pushed him to use his real name and to make sure that people remembered it. And finally, the third song would have to be ‘Yeah, Yeah, Yeah’ by Lil’ Mo. That was the first single off of her third album on Cash Money/Universal. The song was really a good look. But at the time, she was giving birth, so the song didn’t receive the push that it deserved.

You’ve been busy as all hell, my dude. Who have you been in the studio with as of late?

Amadeus: I’ve recently worked with Fabolous, Talib Kweli, 50 Cent, Joe Budden, Young Chris, Ceelo, Red Café, Jae Millz, Remy Ma… I just found out that I made it on the new Freeway album. I did about 5 records for Papoose. I did about 4 records for the Smiles & Southstar album. I’m out there right now…

Name a producer who influenced you on your come up… then take the opportunity to talk about how you feel that you’re influencing producers, behind you.

Amadeus: People may think that I’m bugging, but I will take time to explain this answer. I would have to say Sean “Diddy” Combs was a major influence on me; but he was Puff Daddy at that time. During his rise with Craig Mack, Biggie, Ma$e, 112, Faith Evans, etc. - that was the most influential era for me from the sampling to how good the music felt. Tracks like ‘All About the Benjamins’, ‘Hypnotized’, ‘Flavor In Your Ear’ was the joints that motivated me to push harder to get into the game.

As for how I may inspire others, I feel like I’m in my own category because I create totally off of a feeling. I just turn on my equipment and go hard. If you ever have the chance to check out my creative process, you’ll see that once I press play, I don’t stop. I continuously add sounds to my work until the track is completed. I incorporate all kinds of music into my sound from Rock to Gospel and you’ll always hear live instrumentation in my work.

Talk about a few of your personal hardships being a producer in today’s industry?

Amadeus: I can name 100 things on that subject. First of all, there is a lot of competition out there. This profession is very challenging. A lot of times, you’ll come across situations where it is cliqued up. What I mean by that is most labels have in-house producers, which makes it hard for new producers to get on. The brick wall definitely exists in this industry whether you’re a producer, a dancer, a writer, an artist – it doesn’t matter who you are. As a producer, we also struggle with receiving payment. It just all depends on who you deal with. Sometimes it’s hard to receive a decent payment for your work, when in all honesty; the track plays such an important part in the success of any song.

The last time that you and I caught up was during the listening session for Mike Jones sophomore album, “The American Dream.” How do you feel that his album was received by the media?

Amadeus: I felt that the overall review of the album was positive. I know that we’ve shocked a few people this time around with his product. Yes, he still mentions his name a lot on this record, but that’s Mike’s signature – a gift from his grandmother. The media gave us amazing feedback, saying that there were a lot of heavy bangers on the album.

Talk about your chemistry with Mike. And at the time of the session, I remember you saying that you had 9 songs on the album. Does that number still stand?

Amadeus: I felt that Mike and I really clicked on this album. I originally started off with 9 songs on his album, but due to some sample clearance issues and some of the features that he wanted on the album weren’t able to be a part of the songs in time for completion, I only have 4 now. I’d still be happy if I only had one song on his album, because it’s not about quantity to me, it’s about quality. I feel that the songs that I’ve completed with Mike are some of the best songs on his album, due to the fact that we’ve built universal music that can relate to both the males and the females.

What can our readers be looking for to from you in 2007?

Amadeus: I feel like this will be a set-up year for me. Papoose, Fabolous, Mike Jones, Smiles & Southstar, Lil’ Mo, Freeway and hopefully Joe Budden are all albums that will be dropping this year with my production stamp on it. And I just signed a deal with ESPN to produce tracks to be played during SportsCenter and ESPN News, so that is a good look. I’ve been in this game for 10 years, since I was 16 years old and now the world is starting to recognize my god given talent. If you like what’s going on right now in music, I am going to make you love what is going on in music.

And I still don’t have a Nintendo Wii…

MIMS: Welcome to Washington Heights

Any emcee, dead or alive, is only as strong as his/her stomping grounds…

Where are you from? Who do you represent? How do you get down? These are just a few questions that an upstart emcee must handle with aggression and efficiency.

Some hometowns speak for themselves: Compton, Brooklyn, Miami, Atlanta…

And others have finally gained their shine: St. Louis, Houston, The Bay Area

And now, Mr. “This Is Why I’m Hot”, MIMS took this opportunity to tell you about his Concrete Kingdom of Washington Heights. The Hood Is Back!

Can we start off with your basic stats (birthday, dream car, at what age would you like to retire from the game, etc.)

MIMS: I was born on March 22nd. My dream car at the age of 13 was the Range Rover, but now it is the Lamborghini Murcielago. The perfect age of retirement is when I feel like I’ve exhausted myself in the music industry. At this point, I don’t believe that I will be rapping at the age of 40.

For those who aren’t familiar with Washington Heights, give out the coordinates.

MIMS: The best way that I could describe it is if you know the location of Harlem, all you have to do is go a few blocks Uptown from Harlem to find Washington Heights. You’ll know when you’ve reached Washington Heights when you see the African-American faces disappear, and more Dominican faces appear.

If you could only shop in one place in the Heights, which spot would you choose?

MIMS: It really depends, because as a kid growing up, my choice was 181st. 181st Street is to Washington Heights, what 125th Street is to Harlem.

Describe the culture of Washington Heights and what do you believe it is known for.

MIMS: Washington Heights to most people’s knowledge is best known for drug sales and what you can get out of there on the drug side. But if you live or spend a lot of time there, you’ll realize that there is a lot of culture – you’ll get to see how the Dominicans operate. I love their culture because my family is from Jamaica. When you get that Jamaican culture mixed in with that Dominican culture, you’ll begin to see that there are many similarities. So you can say that growing up in Washington Heights has allowed for me to stay in touch with my Caribbean roots.

Now I must say that I am very familiar with the curvaceous frames on the women in your area. What can outsiders look forward to if they are trying to find them a female from your stomping grounds?

MIMS: If there is one thing that I can say about any Latina in the area is that they are loyal. That’s the god honest truth. They will maintain their loyalty to you through it all. So if you’re looking for a female who would hold you down (stand by you), you can find them here.

Have you always lived in the Heights?

I’m proud that I’m representing Washington Heights. I lived in the Heights for a very long time. But I’m not going to lie; I also lived in the Suburban areas of Long Island. The course between the two, and the knowledge that I’ve gained from the two were very beneficial to my life. I wouldn’t trade how I grew up for the world. Growing up in Washington Heights really allowed for me to learn the hustler’s mentality. And when I finished my high school years in Long Island, it allowed for me to see a different part of life. Now I didn’t live in a $5,000,000 home, but I lived around the corner from one. So I was able to see what a $5,000,000 home looked like; and I was able to envision what I wanted out of life.

Many would say that you have come out of nowhere with your first single. When did you know that you've arrived?

MIMS: Most people would say that my success was overnight, or that I’m a one-hit wonder. But to know me, you’ll know that I’ve been into music since I was 13 years old. This ain’t something that I just picked up and said, ‘I’m going to be a rapper, and I just happened to make good song.’ I’ve been putting together records for nearly half of my life. People want to know what makes me so different from the next man, or how can they do what I’m doing. Well I put my life into this; I put a lot of grind work into this. I’ve been Dj’ing since 13, got into production and engineering at the age of 16, and had a Pro-tools equipped studio at the age of 19. So I can go into any studio in the country right now and handle myself behind the mic and the boards.

You’ve recently released your official second single. Put us up on it…

MIMS: The official second single off the album is called ‘Like This’. It’s a club record that is very competitive. It’s not competitive as in dancing, but more along the lines of male and female. I think that people are going to have a lot of fun with it, especially since it’s about to get warm very soon.

In closing, why will 2007 be a big year for Mims?

MIMS: I think that just like everybody in this industry, I have overcome a lot of obstacles. I’ve taken a record that a lot of people didn’t believe in, and I’m sure that people still don’t believe in it now, but I took that song to a #1 position on the charts. I have a great company behind me. This year is going to be mine. You’re going to hear a lot from MIMS…

Wyclef Jean talks about Carnival 2 - You've read it here first

Power producer, Wyclef Jean is a busy man these days. But you can take a look back at his historical musical past for the proof of his present stature. Wyclef might not hit the airwaves with hit after hit on a consecutive basis like the Neptune’s and Timbaland’s of the production world. But when he hits, Wyclef dismantles Pop culture in a way that is only true to himself.

From ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ with the vivaciously gifted Shakira, to ‘Maria, Maria’ with Santana, all the way back to the Fugee’s remake of ‘Killing Me Softly’, Wyclef is that dude in production. In this exclusive, Wyclef airs out his fresh scented laundry while giving us information on an album that we all can look forward to…

Wyclef Jean on the Fugees: Bringing the Fugee’s back is more than just going into the studio and recording a record. We did the BET thing, we came together for the Dave Chappelle Block party and we went into the studio to vibe. But all of that is not making it. We have to be more unified. For the Fugee’s, it’s not about just going into the studio and putting 13 to 14 songs on a CD. If the Fugee’s are going to come back, it has to be on some rap shit, and it has to be the right shit… so that’s where it stands.

Everybody wants a Fugee record, and I’m the first one in line who wants that, but it has to feel right. I’m moving forward right now, so I don’t want to place myself in a situation where I am going backwards. It’s just still in the air right now.

Wyclef on hearing comparisons angled from will.i.am, towards him: When I was young, I remember people saying that I sounded like Bob Marley. As admirers of music, we are fans of each other. So if people come up to me and say that will.i.am sounds like me, or dresses like me, I look at it as an honor. But I don’t get caught up in that. I do records with will.i.am, Akon, Chamillionaire, and T.I. (who was in the studio at the time) because I’m a producer first. I compliment what will.i.am is out there doing right now. I compliment anybody who is out there making money.

Wyclef addresses the rumors of a newly formed Fugee’s that would have featured Akon: Now that’s false. I’m 36 years old… I have Jets, cars and islands, man. I couldn’t even make a move like that. I mean, this isn’t Making of the Band. It’s either the Fugee’s or it’s not.

Wyclef on his near future: I’m working on the, “Carnival 2: Back from November.” I feel like I’m ready now. I am so excited about it. I got everybody on this album. I got T.I. on there. I got will.i.am on there. I got Chamillionaire on there. I got that Part 2 to ‘911’ featuring Mary J. Blige called, “What About the Baby?” It’s naturally feeling like the sequel to the Carnival.

Photo of Wyclef and Swizz Beatz: Stephen Knight

Beyonce’ Knowles: Out of Reach

Before I even begin to plunge into the intricate developments of Ms. Survivor #1, I would like to place a precursor to this feature. I do realize that Beyonce’ is at the top of her game, and I do respect Ms. Knowles for her diligence and dynamic work ethic. So those of you who are “Crazy in Love” with ole’ girl, you may not like what I have to say, but I’m sure that you’ll agree with me on at least one point I make.

I’m guessing that it’s safe for me to say that you’re familiar with Beyonce’s storyline: Flawless talent show record up until her loss with Gyrl’s Time on Star Search; lead vocalist for the #1 selling R&B group of all time (Destiny’s Child); first female to win ASCAP’s “Songwriter of the Year” award; breakthrough solo artist; burgeoning entrepreneur; Grammy award winner – Beyonce’ touches more bases than Mark McGuire, after the andro-. She is an all-perennial threat with limitless capabilities, methodical performance skills, an exquisitely powerful voice and a physical presence that transcends race and culture almost effortlessly.

But in 2006, Beyonce has had the toughest year of her career. Somewhere down the timeline Ms. Knowles’s “Midas touch” morphed into “Murphy’s Law”: If it can go wrong, it will go wrong. Imagine yourself standing on top of a mountain and instead of the old adage - what goes up must come down - the mountain begins to fracture around your feet. You are still on top of the world, but any move you make in any direction could very well result in your fall from grace. I bring to you the current life and time of Beyonce’ Knowles.

It was all a Dream…

On an episode of BET’s popular music video show, 106 & Park, Beyonce’ made a special appearance handling press for the “Dreamgirls” soundtrack. When she was asked about one thing that she couldn’t stand, she talked about how she doesn’t like it when people who don’t know her personally, call her out by her nickname, “Bee.” C’mon Beyonce’, your nickname is the first syllable of your full name. People are going to call you “Bee” for the simple fact that they are so excited to see you in person; they can’t control their nerves enough to say your full name. I understand that you’re nickname holds a special level of significance for you and that we all have the right to our own set preferences, but when your consumers reach out to you, reach back with open arms and a smile. The age of the Diva is over and done with. If you treat someone like a peasant these days, you’re liable to get slapped, Hot 97 style.

Beyonce’ is naturally poised in the clutch whether she’s in front of a microphone or a camera. But during her media decline when she claimed to have written her #1 smash, ‘Irreplaceable’, it wasn’t long before the internet was buzzing with information that said otherwise. R&B crooner Ne-Yo actually wrote the song.

During a taped interview, Beyonce’ talked about how she’d like to be the first person to win a Grammy, Tony and Academy Award. The film adaptation of the Broadway play, “Dreamgirls” became her opportunity to knock out #2 of the trifecta. Everything was in place: a powerful story, a big budget, a cast of entertainment heavyweights, massive press buildup, topping it all off with a Christmas Day release. But absolutely no one predicted that the movie would be stolen by an American Idol reject (What the Effie?). And in the end, the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress goes to: Jennifer Hudson. Can someone say, “Involuntary Humbling Moment?” Beyonce’ had the entire entertainment engine behind her from being the face of the movie’s publicity to being the voice that people associated the movie with. To be reduced to a high-powered afterthought had to be hard on her winners’ soul.

Then in 2007, Beyonce’ became the first entertainer to grace the cover of the coveted Sports Illustrated, “Swimsuit Issue.” This opportunity had to be a win/win situation – Beyonce’ would be the face of a new era at SI, and there was no doubt that she would take her bikinis and burn the beach down during her photo-shoot. But in recent news, longtime subscribers of SI began canceling their subscriptions to the magazine. These disgruntled customers dubbed their previously favorite issue, “The Ghetto Issue.” Now honestly SI, did you think that your middle-class Caucasian demographic along with their teenage sons would actually want to see their favorite swimsuit models posted up with Kanye’ West or Academy Award Winners, Three 6 Mafia? How are they supposed to get their soft porn on to that? What should have been a win/win situation for Beyonce’ slowly drifted out of the window. Sensational spread and all, Beyonce’ still couldn’t catch a break.

Family Ties

In Chicago during a fashion event, Tina Knowles (mother) was being videotaped for an interview, when a member of the press went beyond their rules of questioning. The reporter began to talk about clothing stores who’ve complained about the “House of Dereon” clothing line in regards to irregular sizes. Beyonce’s mother then asked the reporter to turn off the camera, saying she would only speak about positive news and that talking about the store owners’ complaints were off limits. So does this mean that there were issues with the clothing line? Stay tuned…

As for her father (Matthew Knowles), there were reports that he tried to sign Jennifer Hudson to his management company during the filming of the movie. To take it a step further, there were reports that he was lying to people about being Jennifer’s manager. Your interests couldn’t get more conflicting than this. Jennifer whole heartedly turned down the offer.

Reversing the Curse

Beyonce’, as much as people love you, you have an extremely short pendulum. The sweetest love can become bitter hate if your actions seem anywhere near callous. People identify you with being at the top of the heap. You have become the center of every success story that you are less than 6 degrees from. Careers have skyrocketed based on the fact that people simply don’t want to see you on top anymore. But at the same time I wonder if you could care less about these events? Are you still humbled? Are there too many people in your ear these days? Are you finally being yourself? Are you officially out of reach? I wonder…

Your current solo career may be consumed by the Law of Murphy, but you still have at least one saving grace that can possibly get your good luck back in order. Yes, your girls, your sisters, your roots – Destiny’s Child. When you are glazed by the energy of DC, you appear to be calmed, empowered and above all things, humbled. Even if you have to make it happen independently, or sign a one album deal with, let’s say, Roc-A-Fella Records, maybe just being in the studio with your girls conversing about life’s lessons and ordering from every fast-food joint in the city, because that’s what you’ve all admitted that you loved to do together, will clear up your static filled reception.

Or if anything else, you should seriously consider taking a two year break from everything. Enjoy the fruits of your labor and most importantly, give the masses an opportunity to miss you. You’ve put 10 hard-working years into the growth of your career thus far. Rest up then regroup. I wish you nothing but the best…

International Superstar Mariah Carey is the new face for Pinko

The front running Italian fashion house Pinko has proudly announced Mimi, aka Ms. Carey the new face of their London inspired fashion brand.

Mariah already has a loving relationship with the style of Pinko, not wasting a heartbeat in jumping at the opportunity. "I'm really flattered to have been asked to be the new face of Pinko,” says the comeback Queen. “I first discovered this spectacular fashion house while working in Italy, in my favorite place in the world, the Isle of Capri, while recording my latest CD ‘The Emancipation of Mimi’. I immediately became a huge fan of the brand, and I bought almost everything in the store. So as you can imagine, when I was approached about doing the Pinko campaign I was beyond excited. The clothes are so stylish and fun, and I'm really looking forward to our new venture together.”

Pinko stopped at nothing to bring in the worlds’ best to make this venture a memorable one. The campaign was led by world renowned photographer Michelangelo Di Battista and art directed by Giovanni Bianco.

“All our campaigns feature famously beautiful women,” says Pietro Negra, Pinko’s president and founder. “But this time we wanted not only a beautiful woman, but a musical artist, because music is the greatest channel of communication, it reaches across the generations, perfectly reflecting the Pinko brand’s goal: to design clothes for women of all ages.”

What else is Mariah into at this time, you ask? Mariah is currently shooting the movie “Tennessee” with Lee Daniels, the producer behind Oscar award winning film “Monster’s Ball” and “The Woodsman”.