Even When Michael Jackson Dies, Hate Becomes the New Love?
Soap box time.
Just like sports, everything is not simply about the here and now just to stroke the insecure egos of man and woman. Check yourself.
Call me ideological, but I can care less.
Is something wrong with me? Am I one of the few that listened to my Mom and Pop when they drilled into our psyche “If you can’t say nothin’ nice, don’t say nothin’ at all?”
I wonder.
Maybe it was the lackluster show that exacerbated a monstrosity of ridiculous and unrelenting criticism. Maybe it’s our current culture. I don’t know. I never watch BET because I’m not attracted to it’s superficial, bubblegum, stroke the mainstream programming.
So, I decided to use Twitter’s technology during the BET Awards and also post my tweets simultaneously on facebook. I wanted to see how the world responds to an awards show the entire world was watching because of a scheduled tribute to the King of Pop. There are many questions surrounding Michael Jackson’s life and death and regardless of what you think of him, last night was not the time for stupidity.
It could have been a moment of class…a time of iconic energy.
Let me say I was patient with the show. The advertising was geared toward this massive Michael Jackson tribute that became a disrespectful showcase of individual talent with Michael Jackson “big ups” at the end of performances. I thought there was going to be more song tributes. Something like Tyrese singing Billie Jean or Trey Songz doing Rock With You or Tevin Campbell performing Can’t Help it or even Beyonce and Usher doing this:
Read the captions please.
Scream was what I wanted to do after reading all the comments. Look, constructive criticism is one thing, but when did Black people begin to hate on their own kind in the same way others have hated on us since the first slave ship sailed?
If it was a comment here or there, I’d be over dramatizing, but trust, most of the comments about people were overwhelmingly critical. Seriously and in that unconscionable objectifying way people just love oh so much.
I know I wasn’t raised that way. Thanks Pop.
If I was producing the show, the first part would have been showcasing talent with the last hour and a half an impromptu dedication to passionately honoring Michael Jackson’s body of work with anyone who had the balls enough to get on stage…culminating with a final mass offering by performers really getting down to some of Michael’s classics to end the show.
Could you imagine how emotional that would have been? It would have been memorable.
Repeating the entire Motown 25 Billie Jean performance (on the big screen) would have been hot as well.
Here’s the thing, did Debra Lee and BET furiously attempt for something obvious like this to go down and the talent selfishly resisted because they couldn’t handle the pressure, or was BET’s feet held to the fire from its admin? I know it’s hard work putting together a show of this magnitude, but other networks do it relatively without hitch.
The world was watching and when Wayne did some whack track about having sex with every girl in the world complete with pre-teens on stage, I was sick. Really sick. I saw my daughter and became disgusted.
Where have we taken music? What the hell is going on? Some of that mess was almost demonic. Who gave the final OK for such a performance? Heads should roll because the world was watching and BET flubbed.
Wayne you ought to be ashamed of yourself bruh. For real. What’s up with the little girls?
It had its moments. I thoroughly enjoyed when grown folks showcased what our music is all about. Our contribution to the world’s culture at its best.
Janet appearing on stage and making a statement mere days after the brother she loved passed? Amazing. I love you Janet. Ne-yo doing a nice rendition of Lady in My Life, New Edition opening the show with a Jackson Five tribute, Mary Mary and Latifah performing a great song, Ke Ke Palmer is a true talent, Tevin Campbell coming out of nowhere and doing his thing, Maxwell coming back strong, The OJay’s giving the world Black music in its truest form, Tyrese Gibson, Johnny Gill and Trey Songz doing great covers of the O’Jays and Keyshia Coles and Monica being a professional force. Jaime and Ne-yo’s performance of I’ll Be There was great as well.
Beyonce and Jay-Z, IMO took the occasion to make their performances memorable in the moment. I can’t fault that. At least they are good at what they do.
Jaime Fox did a good job, but there was almost too much comedy. It took away from the moment and lowered expectations of what could have been. I was embarrassed for BET. I really was, but I wasn’t going to slam the show as it was going on. I wanted to focus on all the performances as they were. I wanted to soak in the history of the show for Mike’s sake.
I thought it should be class over cash.
Please BET, please make better decisions. You represent an entire race–or at least try to–and fail miserably. I don’t know what’s going on down there, but whatever it is, it ain’t working–both on the website and the tube. Tear up the entire model, hire conscious, witty, edgy, hungry, positive people and shoot for a goal of representing our people outside of what you think everyone wants to see. MTV should not be your model. How could it? Represent our race and its rich history of can’t stop won’t stop talent and hard work. It should never be about gossip, or hate or whatever is hot (make people work for getting on your show first). If you do it right, things will change.
Get back to the Negro Leagues.
Dumbing down America with all these ghetto reality shows just because everyone else is doing it straight sucks.
What about the kids? What about the beeps that didn’t catch the lyrics?
It should have been a show President Obama could have attended.
Get it right or get out!
During the show, I was pissed off at all the hate. I understand people are just trying to be funny, but I wasn’t getting the entire world wide vibe of visceral hate pointed toward the entire production.
Again, demonic.
I hope people weren’t going off like they did on twitter in front of their kids.
I’m not holier than thou, but damn man some of that stuff was straight childish. It was like someone walking through a room with the entire audience screaming out criticisms before, cheering wildly and asking for pictures during, then straight hating with mad passion after they leave the room.
What is that?!?
Does it make you feel better about yourself? Are you better than these people? Do you understand the hard work they put in while you sit on your butt burping beer and Cheetos? Laughing at this and pointing at that like someone who just doesn’t know better under the age of 10.
So, the entire time I would try and sway the negative into positive to no avail.
The world was watching. CNN was interviewing Joe Jackson and others on the red carpet while BET was using the moment to reinforce every sick stereotype known to sick White and stupid ass Black man.
I do understand folks were frustrated there wasn’t a more MJ based tribute show, but it seemed the hate showed its face way before knowing what was going to be the case.
The Don Cornelius comments were specifically troubling. He’s 78 and the moment had to be hard for him. Let the man speak his piece despite age related difficulties because this might be his last shot. I’m sure many in the field are facing their mortality head on like it’s a hard and fast ticking clock ready to explode. He was there when Mike was developing into an icon and saw it all. I could have cared less if he took up the whole damn show because that’s somebody’s grand pop. What happened to respect? The man has contributed to our culture just as much as any artist alive or dead.
All of those performances before the show with cats rockin’ painted on jeans saggin’ below their ass was again, disgusting. What about that is right? How is that crap fashionable? I would say the same if it was women dressing similar.
Mizzo Jr. and Gaston. If you ever…
Here’s some of my comments on twitter:
“You know what, BET could b a great resource 4 all people if they learn 2 b independent of others. Let them do their thing and you do yours.”
“Is ths how U live yr lives day by day? Hatin’ on others? Do U realize the hard work they put in? U shld try it sometime. h8 is easy.”
“cn I ask a question? Is anyone gonna giv anybody props 2nite? 1 time? Is everyone a critic? cnt a brotha just enjoy the show? WTF man”
There are countless others. I guess when you walk the path you learn to appreciate the artists more for the travel. I’ve had so many people tell me no I’m used to it. Does it stop me? Hell no! I’m can’t stop won’t stop until my sun sets. I do want to make change and turn the tide of this negative spell of kiddie journalism that says bad press is good press. That’s bull crap. Get some balls and get creative. Work hard. I ain’t nowhere near the goals I’ve set for myself, but I will get get there and I damn well know hate ain’t stopping me for one day, the haters will become cheerleaders in their right space and time.
You should read some of my emails…
June 29th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
Nice job Mizzo.
You have a great deal more patience than I do. I turned that bullshit off. It was a bullshit show — and like you, I’d welcome anyone who actually wants to talk about this ‘event’ from the standpoint of artistic merit.
It’s funny in a sense. BET has never authentically been black-owned…especially when Bob Johnson owned it (yuuck!!!!). I haven’t watched their slate of Coon Shows in years. I watched, like you and others, for a very specific reason.
I turned it off because I don’t need bullshit like that in my life — on any level.
A colleague said she thought they were trying to be too black. I said that’s absolutely NOT the case. Being black doesn’t mean you’re between the ages of 12 and 25, unemployed, slingin’ rocks on the corner and solely capable of grabbing your stuff in public. This entire show (at least the piece I suffered through and that which you’ve reported on) is merely the culmination of a contrivance to caricature Black folk into surrendering one of our greatest ECONOMIC GIFTS — the power of our youth to make unique, valuable products which have a COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE over EVERY OTHER group of youth on planet earth.
We actually have the economic potential to flip the script in its entirety — and need not sacrifice our dignity to do it. Folks who engage in these acts have really been bamboozled. Some are simply out for the money — and would pimp a mother, sister or daughter in the time it takes to wipe their ass…others would knife you or I in the back just as quickly. These folks, and you know many of them, simply cannot be negotiated with or talked to. They are the descendants of the traders and catchers — and are at the root of our perilous condition.
Thanks again for your wisdom, words, and use of technology. You were right on — and so was your father.
June 29th, 2009 at 2:58 pm
I’ve posted this on another blog or two but will post it here as well.
There were definitely some highlights during the BET Awards. The show wasn’t all bad. It definitely was not BET’s finest hour but there were highlights.
Highlights of the show for me…Jay-Z, Maxwell, Monica & Keyshia, Johnny Gill, Ne-Yo, Tyrese (not Jody), Tevin Campbell (LOVED him when I was younger & I still listen to his music), BBD & the O’Jays.
I agree that a specific portion of the show should have been set aside for the actual tribute instead of trying to lace in his songs here and there (before & after commercial breaks) and having people speak directly to the camera about their most memorable moment with MJ.
You’re right as well that this year’s show was different in that the world was watching. Both CNN & Fox had someone there covering the awards, so the exposure of the show & network was a lot bigger than usual.
June 29th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
I’m genuinely confused. How can you list all of the ridiculousness that went on during the show and in the same post wonder why people were critical? It was some bullshit on a lot of levels and I don’t think we should just sit on our hands and act like it was all good just because their hearts were in the right place. Call it hatin if you’d like, but all of the things you were critical of needed criticizing. The portions of the show that were good got props. Maybe BET keeps putting out bullshit like this because people aren’t hating enough. I posted some negative comments about the show and I don’t regret it at all. It was a half assed effort and in my opinion.
June 29th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
Co Co maybe there is a reason why you are confused. You know damn well what the hell I’m talking about. All the bs jokes about this and that were not made with positive intentions of making the show better. That’s bull crap.
l wasn’t speaking of your personally, but if you want to defend the masses than so be it.
WRITE SOMETHING. Stop wasting your talent in places that don’t appreciate your potential.
Stop coming on this site and commenting when you think it’s convenient. Do that mess on SLAM.
This ain’t nothing personal. Run with who you want to run with, but don’t come on here “confused” when there is cause for major criticism of our culture that’s solution based. Not kids pointing fingers on recess.
June 29th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
@Mizzzo
I don’t know. The hate of the BET Awards is something that’s been going on for years. It’s almost become that time where everyone knows they’re going to get a chance to clown what comes on the stage because it’s like that every year, and doesn’t get better.
Then you throw this Michael stuff on top, and you have a perfect storm because everyone knew before hand that BET was going to mess it up.
And it’s not to say that people didn’t say positive things when they happened. They were appreciated of most of the moments where they should show their love.
But more of that show was unwatchable than watchable. And we watched it all, hoping for a graceful tribute to maybe the biggest icon of our time, and we’re still waiting.
For the hatefest, at points it seemed to be too much, like you said. But I also think you have to consider the source. The majority of the people watching the show that I follow — and I assume you as well — are upwardly mobile blacks. Most of whom are people who are completely fed up with the denigration of our proud and storied culture.
There are plenty of people out there who were entertained by what they saw last night. And they were on Twitter, too, living it up.
But few of us were them. I think we want to demand class from BET, but we couldn’t get it. Sure, there were great performances — Jay, Maxwell, Ne-yo, The O’Jays, KeKe Palmer’s riff, Johnny Gill-Tyrese-Trey Songz …
But the overall clownish nature drowned out some of the great moments. We knew it was going to happen … It happens every year. Thing is, last night it happened in front of most of America. … and we knew it.
June 29th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
At this juncture, to call the BET Awards bullshit, disparages the shit of bulls.
I hate BET this morning….every petition I can find, regardless of how irrelevant it is, if its one to get BET off the air, I’m signing it. I dont care. That was so trifling and gutter last night. I honestly held out hope that they would do better. I haven’t watched a full show in years so I just assumed that they would have the good sense I know God gave them to step up. Well, damn if I wasn’t disappointed beyond belief last night.
June 29th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
I have no idea what your problem is, but it’s cool. I won’t post anything on this site anymore at your convenience or mine.
June 29th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
That’s fine Co Co. All I’ve ever wanted you to do was challenge yourself outside of that SLAM box. That’s all. It’s out of care for your future. Everything ain’t jokes. Has nothing to do with my standing there whatsoever. Nothing.
Damon and Co Co: What I am saying is this culture of hate that’s so pervasive in our culture like never before is a big part of the problem. All these bull crap gossip sites making fun of this star and that star. How is that productive?
Damon I’m sure you read my tweets last night and last night was not the time to criticize what color shoes someone was wearing. If you looked like a slut, then that’s different, but some of that stuff was straight juvenile.
We have become the mainstream. Our fashion. Our hairstyles. Our music.
Get down, or lay down.
June 29th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
@mizzo:
You’re right about the culture of hate. But that’s America in general. Everything is based around what you don’t have, what someone else has and not what really means something.
As blacks, we’ve been running the dozens since we were kids. And that’s a big part of what happened last night, and happens every year during the BET Awards show. I hadn’t watched it in two or three years. But tuned in only because of Michael, as did many of the people I know. I really don’t watch BET … ever.
The clowning/hate came on top of real frustration and well-warranted criticism. That’s part of why it seemed as though it was so much.
The whole “shoe color” bit, I missed. But it sounds stupid/unnecessary from whoever tweeted it. I’ll agree, there was plenty of that as well. Most of the Don C. tweets I saw were unnecessary.
June 29th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
BET lost me awhile ago, IMO the network glorifies everything that identifies us in a negative fashion. Gangsterism and Hoochiedom rukle the day.
Shows like “American Gangster” do nothing for a 14 year old kid whose parents can’t afford Polo or Air Jordans but show him a so-called easy way out. Without the proper guidance they’re knowingly or unknowingly nuturing a bad seed.
Many of these kids use Scarface as a model, now to see one of their own like Larry Hoover or Raful Edmonds does nothing but fan the flames.
They shoulda just pulled a VH1 or MTV move and showed some of his greatest non-video performances.
June 29th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Damon there are no more excuses of what America is. So we just continue on the same path until we all fall into Rome? Forget that. I got kids and I care about them more than anything past, present and future.
There is a sense of urgency we all better get with.
That stuff is not the dozens bruh. It’s straight demonic insecure hate. When did we become that and what is the reason?
BET sucks, we all know that but some have no business criticizing a culture they patronize. That’s who I was speaking to inside of the warranted criticism. We allowed BET to become what it is by not watching it when Donnie Simpson was doing his thing or Teen Summit (look how those kids were dressed. What happened) was on or the Mel’isa Morgan was singing “Do You Still Love Me“.
June 29th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Sorry, but im not buying into Beyonce’s so called tribute. She openly trashed the Jackson family a few months ago saying that she doesnt like being compared to them because she grew up wealthy and her daddy drove a Jaguar, unlike the Jackson’s who were poor and their father used them to line his pockets. Her sister backed her up saying that she didnt need to appologize because Beyonce told the truth! Their family is truly disgusting. The Jackson’s paved the way for that over exposed trash and her no talent sister. This generation has no respect.
She is an opportunist and and an attention swine. I cant stand that she is using Micahel’s passing to get some positive press. Its disgusting and she will get hers. Sorry for the rant, but I cant stand hypocrites.
June 29th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
This is a great read. I feel the same, and I wish I wasn’t guilty to some degree of partaking in the foolishness. I tried to keep my comments hate-free for the most part and just comment on the show as a whole, but even that probably wasn’t called for. Sure, I think the show was distasteful, and a poor attempt to honor a man many credit their careers to, but you’re right — we shouldn’t have used Twitter as a platform to spread mass hate.
However, I don’t regret my words about BET as a network. I think they definitely need to get a sense of how we feel for them. It’s offensive to me as a black woman, a black person, to insinuate that their programming is representative of me. I’m better than that, we’re better than that, and I wish they would give us better than that. What bothers me the most though, is that even though I’m not alone in my feelings towards BET, most of us will forget last night ever happened. We will go back to mindlessly watching the channel, giving them the ratings they need to stay alive and continue producing ignorant content. So, maybe it’s for the better that we don’t comment about our feelings unless we plan to change our actions (I’m already back to not watching them). In any case, thanks for the article!!
June 29th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
Mizzo:
BET is really like St. Ides.
Just because something is MARKETED TO YOU doesn’t mean it is good for you or even worth saving.
The last time I checked, BET was owned by VIACOM — which also owns MTV. MTV is certainly no better. There are a slew of trash networks whose programming is simply awful. I have faith in our kids to be appropriately repulsed by this stuff (I really do.). Still, these networks make it hard because their marketing teams are telling them there is a demand for a certain “style” of show.
Viacom also owns Noggin. Noggin is a nearly commercial-free network of high-quality children’s programming.
What Viacom needs is to be reminded is that there is a certain level of frustration and fury at these 1920’s style Coon Shows. It’s not a question of boycotting them at the BET level, but it is a question of raising the ante and guaranteeing that BET events which draw the wrath when they try to go to New Orleans or Miami or New York or LA.
BET was totally unresponsive when Johnson was there. He programmed viddy-hoes to his wallets delight and he moved on. The heart of the matter is larger than Donny Simpson and the few positive shows the network has aired. BET’s approach has been exactly that of Soledad O’Brien. If you’re not a church-going woman who is man-less OR if you’re not a man who is struggling with life, money and responsibility — WE”RE NOT TALKING TO YOU because you’re not REALLY BLACK.
Enough of that bullshit. It’s time to yank all these coons (including the ones at CNN) by the collar and demand an end to what you call “bitchassness.”
June 29th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Preach brotha preach!
This includes, artist, editors, production assistants, producers, gophers, stage hands, administrators, drivers, door men, supervisors, public relations reps, entry level clerks, corporate spokesmen whoever.
BET if you are going to continue on this path, then change your cot damn name.
June 29th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Mizzo:
One more thing. I firmly believe there is a TIME AND A PLACE for everything. That’s my issue. I’m not suggesting that every rapper needs to become Will Smith 24 hours a day. Far from it — but they need to have some context for being excellent. You CANNOT be a wordsmith runnin’ around talking about “nowutumsayin” every time you take a breath and fumble like Ernest Byner while looking a word in your empty ass dictionary.
http://temple3.wordpress.com/2007/07/24/hotghettomesscom/#more-521
June 29th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
“..Here’s the thing. Did Debra Lee and BET furiously attempt for something obvious like this to go down and the talent selfishly resisted because they couldn’t handle the pressure, or was BET’s feet held to the fire from its admin…”
Mmmm! You erroneously assume or unrealistically hope that anything uplifting will come out of a Viacom owned horse and pony show. Temple is right, BET never provided anything of value except for the opportunity to see ourselves on the tel-lie-vision and get high off of that. Talent don’t mean anything if it is misused or unrealized. And knee-grows tend to do that more than any one else. I concur with Miranda, you’re insulting bulls- shit when you describe this desecration disguised as a tribute. I wasn’t a fan of the Jackson, nor his emotional strugglers to find his lost childhood, but I was damn near respectful of their talents and his generosity (often never talked about) to so many people and organizations. You would thing that we would have the intelligence to celebrate his transition with the required respect worthy of his status. But common sense ain’t common.
I didn’t see too much of the cooning, because I was to pissed my daughter and wife interrupted my nice quite time with this shit, but I saw enough of Jamie Fox to remind myself this was a guy who played Wanda when he was with Wayans coon show.
I think you’re right to ask for responsibility, I just think you’re…oh!, several years too late on this. From both BET and the knee-grows amongst us.
Also, Sheltz’s post summoned up Beyonce’s body of work to date. And she wonders why people still love Jennifer Hudson over her.
June 29th, 2009 at 5:02 pm
I stopped watching BET (Black Exploitation Television) years ago because it wasn’t worth watching then and based on the comments i’m seeing, it’s not worth watching now. Therefore, I didn’t watch the show (although I did see Janet’s appearance on youtube) and i’m happy that I didn’t.
I paid my own personal tribute to “King Sani” by watching VH1 do a series of his videos the entire weekend. It was a very classy tribute. Nothing negative mentioned about him, just his music. I was actually surprised because VH1 is just as bad as MTV.
But T3 is right….BET aint worth saving. I threw it in the same bullshit pile as I did ESpin, Fox, MTV, etc. and there it shall stay. The people at Viacom know that as long as artists remain and ignorant and keep making “trash” they call music, their ignorant fans will continue to buy. Parents have to take a stand (I commend you mizz!).
…and I agree w/Sheltz & sankofa about Beyonce.
June 29th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
oh well……after seeing this….not sure if I should be laughing or crying about that foolishness last night. How did we get HERE?
http://gawker.com/5302802/hurricane-chris-raps-profanely-on-the-floor-of-the-louisiana-legislature
June 29th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
Like one of my peoples says…Le Sigh…
June 29th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
miranda:
by boat.
June 29th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Heh…..yeah T3….in the belly of the boat at that….sigh…just a damn shame.
June 29th, 2009 at 7:02 pm
I didn’t know Joe was pimpin’ a new record company during the CNN interview. What’s wrong with that dude?
June 29th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
Ok…… Again…… I didn’t watch this. Michael Jackson was not my music. He was not an entertainer I found terribly appealing. Not hating. just speaking fact.
However…. would i trust BET to properly run a 1-car funeral? No. Let’s be real…. if something like that needs to get done….. get Quincy Jones and Russell Simmons on it. They’d have a benefit show ready to go by the end of the week.
And furthermore….. Lil’ Wayne…… (keep in mind i’m gonna curse)……. WHAT IN THE FUCK IS YOUR FUCKING ASS THINKING ABOUT? Performing that song with the world watching? And then having the nerve to put pre-teen girls on stage? You have got to be outside your mind. This is what happens when there’s no one around an artist to say, “Na Man. Not like this. Not tonight.”
June 29th, 2009 at 8:21 pm
Just for clarity, there was a lot of criticism to go around. I tried to speak on all of it as it relates to our society.
June 29th, 2009 at 10:27 pm
I love the fact that we as black people here in the United States are the ones setting the trends and making things happen in places like Wall Street, and Madison Avenue…for example the very first Michael Jordan and Mars Blackman commercial…that was all us and then the rest of the nation saw it and was like OMG…what a great concept…whereas in reality that was all natural…no script, just us being us, and it sold hundreds of millions of dollars worth in Nike footwear and apparel.
Keep setting trends Michael…this site is one of the best my friend.
June 29th, 2009 at 10:59 pm
I didn’t get the Michael Jackson is a gun comment. I enjoyed Neyo, Genuine, Jay-Z, Drake, and just about all of the female performers. Then there was the crazy stuff and yall know what I’m talking about. I would like to see a tribute special for Mike. In BET’S defense. They didn’t have much time to put the show together after Michael’s passing. I’m glad they honored him.
June 29th, 2009 at 11:05 pm
I do agree with all of you that Mike deserves a better tribute.
June 30th, 2009 at 12:47 am
F Viacom and there whores (BET, MTV, VH1, CBS and etc).
This is what happens when someone else controls your image……thanks Bob Johnson.
Speaking on last night that was trash. But I expect nothing more from Viacom’s whore BET. I mean this is the same network that said they couldn’t play rap group little brothers song because it was too intelligent.
Its amazing that some almost 60 year old men (the OJays) were the best singers on the stage last night.
Ciara and Kerri Hillson are nothing more then pretty faces. Those girls cannot sing to save their lives.
My wife has been telling our daughter that ciara couldn’t sing to save her life. Our 10 year old didn’t believe us until she saw Ciara try to sing MJ’s song last night.
The record industry is a joke.
Mizzo as far as the hate its sad because that seems to be the new culture on the web and in forums. Heck websites like mediatakeout is built on this ignorant mentality.
Its the coward behind the computer syndrome.
But you know whats amazing how BET changed their image once the preachers and other folks began picketing outside that sell out coon CEOs house 2 years ago. After they had all those ignorant shows like hot ghetto mess and the rest.
Then all of a sudden BET started to try and show more positive programs. Whatever that means……you see how they tried to put a positive spin on the awards show with the 4 doctors and the black mayor from philadelphia MS.
Yeah BET anything to keep the heat off you.
Also why could they have had some beautiful and talented sistas who could sing do a dedication to MJ. How about India Arie, Jill Scott or Angie Stone.
Nope can’t have them Neo Soul folks on there with that positivity and dressing like real women. Forget that lets get some no talent, no singing heffas on there.
June 30th, 2009 at 12:52 am
Oh Mizzo and Temple the thing that pissed me off the most might have been the fact that punk @ss BET asked Don Cornelius to come on.
ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME. The same man that Viacom tried to put out of business. By threating artist to not come on Soul Train or they could never be able to come on BET or MTV again. That very act forced Don Cornelius to end Soul Train and go out of business.
WOW!!!!!
Thats like burning down someones house and then asking them to come over your house to serve dinner.
F Viacom and every network they own.
June 30th, 2009 at 12:58 am
And Okori I totally agree with the lil wayne and the 12 year old girls….I thought I was the only one to see that.
That sista and brotha who head BET should be ashamed of themselves.
They both are truely evil…..just liked they said on the boondocks.
Also I read that crap Beyonce said….that was some straight ignorant coon sh%$.
She might as well had said “Plus I am lighter then them and got that good hair”
She must not have gotten the memo that no matter what your daddy and momma had to them folks you trying to impress you still a N^&&*!!!
June 30th, 2009 at 1:01 am
Also anyone see how almost everyone set down when Mary Mary came out and performed.
Guess they didn’t know what to do. I mean God and BET only go together on Sundays.
Those fools didn’t know what to do………it must have caught them off guard.
June 30th, 2009 at 1:48 am
Child Services should have been AT the Shrine Auditorium within 10 minutes after that foolishness. How in the HELL could anyone think it was ok for young girls to be on stage during that song? Who? Why? What? Was everybody drunk? high?
June 30th, 2009 at 1:58 am
right now….. someone from California Children and Family Services should be making a phone call. I mean christ….. it’s terrible.
June 30th, 2009 at 2:04 am
Okori and Miranda…………..totally agree.
June 30th, 2009 at 2:36 am
As a social worker i’m more infuriated with this than anything else that happened.
June 30th, 2009 at 5:16 am
how about you all jump off lil waynes dick. he’s a grown ass man, and he can do what he pleases, if you don’t want your kids listening to that kind of music, don’t let them listen to it, but don’t criticize a man for letting his kids come on stage, also it has been documented many times that lil wayne is a responsible, good, active father and role model for his kids. if you were there age and your father was one of the biggest artists in the world, you would want to come on stage too, so stop bashing him and consider bet’s role in this
June 30th, 2009 at 6:06 am
We all really miss MJ. No one can ever replace him. He’s a legend. A pioneer. Family, friends, co-celebrity, fans we really want to do something for our beloved MJ and we are still in pain. I know and I feel Janet’s pain. Let’s all pray for MJ and the family he left.
June 30th, 2009 at 6:23 am
I liked all of the performances except Lil Wayne, but yeah overall they didn’t do a good very good job of paying tribute to MJ, but in fairness they only had a few days, and they are BET, also LOL@ Lebron James he thanks Mike Jackson for inspiring him to play Basketball?, and he’s looks funny as hell dancing because he’s so tall, and yeah hate is here to stay, alot due to the internet because you can say whatever you want anonymously.
June 30th, 2009 at 9:03 am
As a white person, I’ve often thought, in watching - and knowing about the variety of contributions of folks of African origin to the world - BET is a disgrace. The videos they play, the limited range of experience of black folks which is depicted on the channel is a disgrace. All that said, and it’s not an excuse, but it’s the same reason I don’t spend much time watching the mainstream media - it’s owned by Viacom. MTV has been crap for probably 13-15 years……CBS has very little to offer. VH1 doesn’t show any good old school or really any music videos. Robert Johnson gets orders from upstairs and he’s a corporate stooge, just like the white corporate hacks on Wall St. and in the White House that have sent this country down the tubes, particularly in the last 10 years. That doesn’t excuse Johnson from his obligation to promote conscious images of black folks, I don’t mean to diminish responsibility because obviously he will have to answer some day for what he’s done, but at the same time, when a big multi-national corporation owns a company, I don’t have a lot of hope for the consciousness of the product.
June 30th, 2009 at 10:00 am
That’s very unfortunate for all of us TC. Has the ship sailed on hope?
June 30th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Well said TC.
June 30th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
so wait because he’s a grown-ass man he can sing a song entirely about sex and have pre-teen girls walking around shaking their ass? But that’s ok cuz he’s a grown-ass man? Stop trolling and get some sense.
June 30th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
Okori
“those are most blind who refuse to see…”
At least he didn’t hide his agenda or belief, by hiding the fact that he supports the perception of pedaphilia and cooning.
TC
At the end of the day, you, I, all of us will have to realize that ultimately the battle is for our very souls!
June 30th, 2009 at 8:23 pm
And Mizzo……yeah, not enough people listened to their mommas when they were told (or did enough mommas tell?) if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.
June 30th, 2009 at 9:03 pm
every once in a while I am convinced that Sankofa actually likes me.
July 1st, 2009 at 1:43 am
LOL!
Okori…Don’t let shit get out that I’m not just a grumpy old man!
July 1st, 2009 at 3:14 am
i never doubted that you were a grumpy old man. put it this way: Sankofa is the Fit Finlay of TSF. Look it up.
July 2nd, 2009 at 3:28 am
mizzo, I hadn’t watched BET in years (I watch very little TV besides sports anyway) and like so many others tuned in for the expected tribute. I thought New Edition was a great touch and naturally expected a great tribute and for reasons you mentioned it sucked.
Firstly, I believe that when faced with the tough choice of “tribute” or “self-promotion”, too many artists chose the latter. Jamie Foxx and his too frequent concert date announcements helped set that tone.
But to your question, I put more of this on Debra Lee dropping the ball than the artists. There were some very simple things that she could have been done that could have made it work without a lot of labor-intensiveness.
1) Send out the memo: Any artist scheduled to sing two songs must make the second one an MJ song. If Beyonce can do Ava Maria and a Sarah McClaughlin cut, can’t she send one back for Michael? Ditto for everybody…
2) I was just SURE that Jay-Z or some other rapper(s) would throw a verse or two out there in honor of Michael. Just finish your planned song and do a couple verses A cappella. Thats all. you would have brought the house down. Two days is a lifetime to create a few lines.
3) Where was the video tribute? I know I wasn’t the only person expecting one.
These are all relatively simple adjustments that you can do in two days easy. Perhaps she spent the time trying to pull off far grander things like say, get Usher on board the way she did New Edition to start. I don’t have the answers, but MJ deserved so much better.
July 5th, 2009 at 3:39 am
Very well put, Miz. We need to make black and white people for the programming that winds up on BET, but we also need to check ourselves as well. I’ll look in the mirror.
July 7th, 2009 at 12:46 am
“And furthermore….. Lil’ Wayne…… (keep in mind i’m gonna curse)……. WHAT IN THE FUCK IS YOUR FUCKING ASS THINKING ABOUT? Performing that song with the world watching? And then having the nerve to put pre-teen girls on stage? You have got to be outside your mind. This is what happens when there’s no one around an artist to say, “Na Man. Not like this. Not tonight.”
Yet the world will come to an end if a Don Imus or Michael Richards shows their behind. Like I’ve been saying for the longest, no one will respect us if we don’t respect and check ourselves and each other. Obama getting elected doesn’t mean the race is over.
July 7th, 2009 at 12:50 am
Can’t wait to hear Paul Mooney’s take on what happened.
September 11th, 2009 at 8:26 pm
innocent want proof heres your proof
THERES A WOMEN THAT STAYED THE NIGHT AT NEVERLAND SHE SAID THE
BOYS BEGGED TO SLEEP IN THE ROOM WITH HIM AFTER MAKING FALSE
CLAIMS AGAINST MICHAEL THE SAME BOYS BEGGED AND PLEADED TO SLEEP
IN MICHAEL’S ROOM WHEN HE WAS NOT THERE RIGHT AFTER SAYING THAT
HE MOLESTED THEM I DONT KNOW ABOUT YALL BUT THAT DOESN’T SOUND
RIGHT TO ME SHE EVEN WROTE THEM A LETTER SAYING THAT AFTER
MICHAEL HELPED THEM AND BECAME FRIENDS THEY TURN RIGHT AROUND AND
STABBED HIM IN THE BACK WITH LIES FOR MONEY AND I FOR ONE KNOW
THAT ITS NOT MICHAEL’S FOUGHT IF THEY HAD BEEN POOR HE IS
GENEROUS HE WOULD HAVE GAVE THEM MONEY BUT THE WAY THEY WENT TO
GET GET IT WAS WRONG I WOULD NEVER TREAT A FRIEND LIKE THAT THOSE
LIER’S Discuss Me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcXi3HHTIOY&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcXi3HHTIOY&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lVUvOLdg50&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlaVZw5h6YE&feature=related
http://mjjdreamworld.yuku.com/topic/629?page=2
http://mjjdreamworld.yuku.com/topic/629?page=3
listen to MJ he clearly says that he let them have the bed and
slept on the floor and theres nothing wrong with that
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQwY4ll1Kfc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpA0r0Lz2zc&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlaVZw5h6YE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpQo4yWdaso&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=084VrfNpZJU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_0zxCCGQ6Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mX0ItcAIeIY&feature=related
October 5th, 2009 at 10:44 pm
MJ WROTE THIS TO U HATERS LEST U CAN READ IT
MOTHERFUCKERS!!! I DONT SEE HOW HE COULD CALL U
HATIN ASS BITCHES DEAR IT MAKES ME SICK THAT
HES SO NICE TO U HE WRITES:
PLEASE READ IF YOU
HAVE A HEART U WILL UNDERSTAND Dear people, I
would like to ask you a question - the question
WHY. Why is there so much poverty in the world?
Why so many wars? Why so much torture and
agony? And why must children die and innocent
suffer? I don’t understand it. Do you
understand it?
I want to help. I want to make people happy,
and may it be just for a moment. That is what
gives my life a sense. Don’t you understand me?
What did I do that you judge me? Are you really
envious of me? You don’t have to. I wouldn’t
wish you to be me…
Maybe you just want me to confess my ‘guilt’:
Yes, it is true, I do love children! But not
the way you want it to be. I love them from the
bottom of my heart. Because children don’t make
wars. Children have never hurt me. It makes me
happy to look in their shining eyes. Is it a
crime wanting to be happy and want to make
others happy? Many of them who visit me are
going to die soon, of cancer or other terrible
diseases. I won’t let you forbid me through
your arrogance to give them just one happy day!
Yes, it is true that I had plastic surgeries!
Do you know what it feels like?! How often did
I have to wake up in pain! How often I didn’t
know what would expect me when I look into the
mirror! How often did I cry when I did it!
Don’t you see that I’m punishing myself for
that I cannot cope with my face - and with
myself! Why do you also punish me for it?
Yes, it is true, once I was black! You get
darker in the sun and get admired for that. But
I am sick and you hit me for it. The sun you
love so much can kill me. In former times I
loved to be outside in the light, too, now I
can nearly only go out at night. And you make
your fun out of it. If I hadn’t become the
Michael Jackson you know today, then I would
also be like that: I would be a white black
with curls and a thick niggernose for which
everybody would tease me. Well, now you tease
me because of my little nose. Maybe I would
already be dead because I couldn’t protect
myself so good as I can today. Would you prefer
it when I was dead? Or when I had never
existed? But then you wouldn’t have my music!
Would you like to do without ‘Billie Jean’?! My
music you love though, don’t you? Just not me.
But I create the music to make you happy.
You torture me with your disgraceful words.
Words can sometimes hurt so much more than
punchs. Often I sit in an edge and cry. I ask
God for what I have to suffer, what a reason
I’ve given you. Cause I never did harm to
anyone. I am afraid of you ’cause you’ve hurt
me so badly. And I don’t even defend myself. I
simply hide behind my masks. Oh, how I hate
these masks! Under them I can hardly breathe.
But I have no choice, it’s the only way to
protect myself. But you don’t like it when I
protect myself. You’d prefer to kick a
defenceless man in his face. but this favour I
won’t do you. I don’t need to be ashamed for
anything I’ve done. And as I can see at you,
dear Unknown there are people who understand my
message.
My friends and me, we don’t go into the war
with tanks. We come with sunflowers to all of
you even though you laugh at us and snap our
flowers off. Maybe you will understand not
before not only the flowers but the whole sun
goes out. With my music, with what I do I would
like to bring a light into the world. But is it
necessary that I kill myself until someone
believes me? And until someone believes me that
I just want to do good things and that I suffer
from your hate? But then you would be outraged:
“And the children?!” Particularly you would say
that, you who would love the most to take my
children away from me. You say they aren’t my
children. You say I couldn’t educate them. How
do you want to know this?! And is it important
then what blood is flowing through their veins
when I would die for them? Your jealousy and
your hate make you blind for what love means.
You don’t know me, nevertheless you have
already judged me! You, those reporters who
hammer me at the cross in the morning, you
listen to my music in the evening! That is not
fair! You are not interested in what you write
if it just attracts readers and causes
headlines. But my name is enough to attract the
people. Why is it always necessary to denounce
me? Why don’t you write something positive,
there you wouldn’t have to search so long! Why
do I have to be ‘Wacko Jacko’? Can’t you see
that the only one I’m hurting is myself?! You
hunt me like I was a piece of cattle. Isn’t
there anybody who sees that I’m also a human
being?! Where do you have your heart? Where do
you have your mercy? Where do you have your
love?
If just one out of ten people who get this
letter tries to understand me, already then my
life is it worth being lived.