That's So Raven....so please just let her be!

The controversy just doesn't stop for Raven Symone. Now the former Cosby kid, and current The View co-host finds herself in hot water yet again. This time it stems from a petition to have her fired from her plush gig at The View.

Symone is just a few weeks removed from making comments regarding the Spring Valley High School incident in South Carolina, which saw a school resource officer manhandle an African American female student after she wouldn't put her cell phone away.

Here are Raven's Comments on the matter via U.S. Weekly

"The girl was told multiple times to get off the phone," Symone said. "There's no right or reason for him to be doing this type of harm — that's ridiculous — but at the same time, you gotta follow the rules in school. First of all, why are there cellphones in school? This shouldn't even be a problem to begin with, and he shouldn't have been acting like that on top of it."

Now people are up in arms. Seriously up in arms. Social media did not react well and the call to oust the former Disney star keeps growing louder.  Now I've been following Raven since the whole Watermelondrea scandal and I predicted a couple of blogs ago, that this was coming.

ABC, the network that airs The View has come out with a statement in support of the co-host, and I agree.

These are Symone's opinions, regardless if we like them or not. We should not want to end someone's livelihood just because they have an opinion that differs from our own. If it's hate speech, which in this case it is clearly not, then by all means let her go. But if you don't like her opinion... why not change the channel. Simply don't click on the link, or don't view the stream. Just my thoughts!

Cosby vs. Cliff: The Reality of it All

I grew up in the '80s and one of the most influential television shows of my youth was The Cosby Show. Every Thursday at 8p.m. my family would gather around our floor model television set and see 30 minutes of a loving and caring family through the Huxtables.

It was one of the most powerful television shows in history for African Americans, as it painted us in a different and positive life. A doctor (Bill Cosby/Cliff Huxtable) married to a successful attorney (Phylicia Rashād/Claire Huxtable), all carrying for their five children. There were no financial struggles or living in the ghetto; there was no stereotype of a black male calling detractors jive turkeys. It was a show about family and about African Americans finally obtaining the dream Martin Luther King Jr. gave his life for.

But I say all that to ask this very pertinent question. For all the good this show did, are those works now tarnished or perhaps undone by the scandal the lead star Bill Cosby finds himself in now?  (I don't know the truth about the scandal, which is why I'm not going into detail about it. My heart goes out to any victims that have suffered from this. I have a daughter and I can only imagine how I would feel if something like this were to happen to her.)

The November issue of Ebony Magazine brings this point up and has caused Social Media to explode in debate.

I have two answers. Yes and no. One cannot deny the successful impact The Cosby Show has had on African Americans. My wife told me that it was a show that made her strive for greatness. It was honest and positive, something lacking from today's programming content. For those of us who experienced Cosby before the controversies set in - quite simply the answer is no. Nothing can take away the show's contributions to our lives.

I look at my friends and my outer circle. We're all college graduates and have successful careers. It can be argued at all of these people grew up being impacted or somehow influenced by the Cosby show in some shape or another.

But what about future generations? What about my pre-school age daughter and my toddler son? The answer is yes.That legacy will be tarnished for them.  I say this because if they were going to watch the show and ask questions about Bill Cosby then it would become tricky. The impact that my generation benefited from would be washed away entirely on my son and daughter's generation.

This is a sad situation and whatever the truth is, one thing is certain, nothing will ever be the same again.

Raven Never More: Coulter silences View co-host

Raven Symoné's comments about not hiring people with names like Watermelondrea continue to bite her in the butt. This time from Conservative firebrand Ann Coulter.

Coulter was a guest on The View and was being picked apart regarding her views on Immigration. Coulter was there promoting her new book,  Adios, America!

The unapologetic conservative went head first with a passionate fervor into her stance on Immigration and her support for Donald Trump, the anti-hero presidential candidate.After being grilled by several members of The View,  Symoné questioned Coulter and asked her why the staunch conservative makes a career off saying mean things about people. That's when Coulter fired back with the quote heard around 'Social Media.'

“Well, I’m at least talking about policy,” Coulter responded. “You have a position on what people’s names should be! I mean, Watermelondrea. I mean, you’ll insult people for their names, I’m talking about a government policy that affects all Americans, and immigrants, and the people living her. And it’s harming our country. So you don’t follow it.” 

And Symoné said nothing. Nothing. Absolute silence! What's even more interesting is the response on social media. As controversial as Coulter is - no one really stood up for Symoné. Most sided with Coulter.

And this brings me to my point? Are Symoné's days numbered on The View. Are the Watermelondrea comments a blow she won't soon overcome?  What do you think?







 Here's the video  below.

Raven-Symoné under fire for 'name' comments

Former Cosby Show child star and current The View host, Raven-Symoné is in hot water after she said she would not hire someone with a racially stereotypical name.

Here's what she said.

"Just to bring it back, can we take back ‘racist' and say ‘discriminatory,' because I think that's a better word," she said during the show. "And I am very discriminatory against words like the ones that they were saying in the video. I'm not about to hire you if your name is Watermelondrea. It's just not going to happen. I'm not going to hire you."

Social media did not take it well. For the better part of the day the former That's So Raven star was blasted repeatedly and roasted online for her comments; her name and her opinion.

Here's the video so you can check out the comments for yourself.

Keeping Malachi

This past weekend my wife and daughter went to visit family in South Carolina, leaving me alone with my one-year-old son, Malachi. It's significant because this was my first time watching him by myself  over an extended amount of time.

In the past, I have watched my daughter, Grace, who is 4, with my son for an entire weekend, and I have even traveled with both of them by myself. But to keep my son... with no other sibling as a playmate (distraction)... for a weekend -  well that was a task in itself.

When I first pitched the idea to my wife I said it would be a breeze. I joked to her, I'm gonna 'learn em' about what a man does this weekend.  But nothing could be further from the truth.

My brave proclamation was shot down almost immediately, when Malachi refused to eat the specially prepared breakfast I cooked for him. He began pointing away from his food and at the chocolate muffin bread my wife baked prior to her South Carolina sojourn.

Malachi eat your biscuit and eat your eggs. He began shoeing my hand away after each attempt. Then the tears came. After the tenth attempt and tears from both of us, I caved in and gave him the chocolate bread.

Since it was raining we were mostly confined to the house for the whole weekend. Malachi began a 5-room reign of terror, where he began emptying out the contents of the desks and cabinets in various rooms.

No, that belongs to your sister I yelled! No, that's your mother's crochet yarn, you can't play with that! Not the iPad! That's expensive!

After he calmed down a bit, then it was time for a nap. Malachi did not want to sleep. I put him in his crib thinking he would cry himself into his mid afternoon slumber, but instead as soon as I left the room I heard a huge thud! Malachi had jumped out of the crib and was on the run.

I gave in and let him stay up. We listened to music; played in the rain; played ball; caught colds; and watched wrestling on the WWE network! In that time I think he bumped his head 5 times, fell about three, and kneed me in the groin six times.  He even learned how to cut the vacuum on.  Oh and he kept refusing to eat his food!

Suffice to say when his mother and sister came home I was extremely happy. And I discovered it wasn't me 'learning' Malachi how to be a man, but the other way around. Yup. I'm a better man because of this weekend. Thanks Malachi.

Oprah Develops Megachurch Drama

As Oprah Winfrey is continuing her push into developing scripted programming for OWN, her next foray is sure to raise a few eyebrows. You see this time it's going to be a drama with the backdrop being a megachurch. The name of the show is called Greenleaf, and follows the lives of a prominent African-American family in the ministry.

 Doesn't sound too bad right? What could be so controversial or eyebrow raising about that? Well once I read a brief summary of the show, I had to pause and just shake my head.

Here's a brief description:

“Like so many megachurches in America, Greenleaf World Ministries is more than just a house of worship. It’s a home. It’s the center of the community for the thousands of predominantly African-American members who attend services there.  But beneath its steeple lies a den of iniquity — greed, adultery, sibling rivalry and conflicting values — a multigenerational matrix of deception that involves the church’s founding family, but also extends to the congregation and prominent members of the Memphis community and beyond. Yet, amidst all of the mayhem and deception, the power of something greater persists, calling everyone to conscience for their sins.”

 Greed? Adultery? Just wow!

I'm wondering how this will be taken, particularly by fellow Christians. I'm going to go on record and say I'm not in favor of the premise behind the show.  I know that I'm going to sound a bit hypocritical here, because I have watched dramas like Empire - which takes on some of those same themes - but just in the music industry.

Perhaps it's because of my faith; perhaps it's because my wife has worked at a church in the past; perhaps because I think it's OK as long as these themes are discussed somewhere else; whatever the reason might be, there's something unsettling to me about a show that portrays the church in a negative light. Somethings I feel should be left alone. Church scandals...meh, I'll pass.

But apparently, it seems like Winfrey is really getting behind this one. She will even have a reoccurring role on the show. The ensemble cast also includes Keith David, Lynne Whitfield, Lamman Rucker, Deborah Joy Winans, Tye White, Kim Hawthorne and Desiree Ross.

Greenleaf is slated to premiere in 2016. Sorry, I don't think I'll be tuning into this one.

Black fathers do stick around

A few weeks ago, I was in the park with my children and I came across a young father guiding his son ever-so-cautiously through the monkey bars. We briefly looked at one another and did a silent nod in agreement.

"That's what's up," he finally said in a monotone voice. The kid couldn't be any older than 21. But we instantly knew that we were two African American males breaking stereotypes surrounding black fathers. More often than not black fathers are stepping up and becoming a stronger component in their children's lives.

A CDC surveyed more than 3,900 fathers between 2006 and 2010 and found that black fathers were more likely to bathe, dress, play and dine with their children as compared to their White and Hispanic counterparts. 

It's a stark contrast from the biased reports that black fathers don't care or don't really take care of  their children. Most of my friends are great fathers - regardless if they're divorced, married or not even in relationships with the mother of the child. They're good men who walk with their sons and daughters every step of the way.

I get upset whenever we see the amazing (note my sarcasm) stories of men who have fathered 20 and 34 children and are treated like the norm. These men talk about putting in time with their children, but real fathers know how hard it is to spend the appropriate amount of time with just one child.

Thankfully, that's not the norm and there are numerous black fathers who care about their children and love them unconditionally.

Trump is the anti-hero of politics

Ah, the curious case of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.  The billionaire has had social media spats with nearly all of his opponents, and even managed to get into a rather nasty dust up with Fox News commentator Megyn Kelly.  Yet he's still able to soar well above his opponents in the polls.

And here's why.

Trump is the anti-hero of politics. He's the guy that goes against the grain of how traditional candidates usually conduct themselves and he tries to accomplish his goals by any means necessary.  A barb at Jeb Bush? No problem.

Now please, don't take this as glowing endorsement of Trump from the O.A.W. Report. That's not what this is. There are numerous comments the Donald has made that we take issue with. We're simply trying to understand and quantify why Trump seems to hold the election captive with his antics that hardly have anything to do with a substantive plan to help improve this country.

In our minds this election so far has been less about policy and more about social media attacks (via Twitter) and the use of private emails being used to conduct business (the latter is best left for another blog).

Trump's bid for presidency comes at a time when the American public is craving for crude transparency. Just look at the access we now have in the lives of celebrities. Look at the prevalence of reality T.V. shows. We want to know what a person is thinking or feeling and the more outlandish and salacious that person is, the more we accept it.

Traditionally, presidential candidates have been the opposite. They reveal as little as possible and give us a cookie cutter platform on which to base our opinions on. They provide a quaint little narrative which contains only a smidgen of truth. They're friendly to people they don't like even though the public knows otherwise.

Trump isn't any of those things. He's real. He’s transparent and you already have a pretty good idea if you're going to vote for him or not. That's why he's soaring in the polls, and that's why he's the anti-hero of politics.

A Call for Change

Bennettsville needs to change and it needs to change fast.

I blurted out those very words about a week ago, when I visited my hometown and found out Marlboro Park Hospital, the only hospital in the county, had been shut down. Upon driving past the entrance of the now defunct hospital, I spotted a sign that said for immediate service please try the emergency facilities in the next county over.

Unacceptable on every level imaginable.
How can a town, let alone a county, have its sole hospital close? People still have emergencies and get sick right? Right? As the son of two elderly parents, I have deep concerns that the nearest hospital they can attend is 20 miles out.

Owners of the hospital say it just isn't bringing in enough money. And I have to say I'm not surprised. Bennettsville has always been a town that has fought hard to resist change. Still hanging on to the ridiculous notion the economy should be driven by agriculture (an outdated concept by at least 30 years), the town is falling behind and missing out on tremendous opportunities.

For years people have been crying for change and asking for more businesses to come into the town. After years of lobbying the city finally... finally opened its doors to allow Wal-Mart to come in. Prior to the store opening, people would drive across the state line to go to Wal-Mart, or as far as 20 miles away in the neighboring county.

People want to spend their money, but there aren't any places in Bennettsville for the constituents to shop. Therefore they're looking outside of the city to get their needs met. Unfortunately, it has reached a point where Bennettsville is beginning to lose the necessities.

Change must come. It has to come for the beleaguered town that serves as a gateway to Myrtle Beach – one of the largest tourists areas in South Carolina. Leaders of the town must change and embrace the 21st century if Bennettsville is expected to thrive or next time it could lose a lot more than its hospital. 

Raw lyrics are Heresy in today's Hip Hop

A common criticism of today’s mainstream Hip Hop music is it doesn’t have the lyrical flair of the rap songs from the 80s and 90s. Rap ballads sound more like odes to strippers and commercials for clothing lines and new brands of alcohol. Heresy, an all-female rap group, is hoping to bring back raw lyricism and change the way women are represented in Hip Hop.

Featuring Hip Hop legend Monie Love; battle rapper MyVerse; Hip Hop’s conscience Dominque Larue; and razor sharp lyricist Carolina Dirty; Heresy is a throwback to simpler times when the culture was vibrant and had soul. The lyrics are raw; the delivery is flawless; and the presentation is off the charts. After downloading their self-titled EP the only complaint I had was I couldn’t read the paper to see the credits for each song (true Hip Hop heads will understand).

The five-track EP is a brief, yet satisfying foray into Hip Hop. It’s also a critique of today’s music, offering up songs like Clinkity Clank.  In this offering, Carolina Dirty pretty much sums up how some are willing to make it to the top.

‘I used to push a Nova but I copped a Range Rover/Got a chain around my neck about the size of Angola/ Gotta keep my body lookin’ like Coca Cola/ No money for the hungry or cure for Ebola/But I gotta show my fans that I’m a high roller/So I buy Kim Kardashian a platinum baby stroller’

Just wow. Check out there EP and definitely check out their first video below – Da Call Out.

A Rogue's Tale

It should come as no surprise to any follower of The O.A.W. Report  that Rogue Dynamo is fully endorsed and supported here. I was first introduced to the highly-proclaimed Anti-hero(ine) of Hip Hop back in 2013, when she performed in Little Five Points - and I was captivated by her raw lyricism and charisma.

Rogue goes against the grain, opting for more deeper and emotional music that connects and impacts the listener.

I remember when I first listened to Rogue's track, The Pain from the Black Baccara mixtape, which cleverly samples Johnny Cash's Hurt. The song deals with loss, pain and it reminded me so much of how I felt when my wife and I lost our first child.

"I'm waking up every morning like why am I here/ and I'm showing up for work and I ain't even combed my hair/ who cares, I know that I don't/ I know you wanna say something bout it/ betcha you won't."

But Rogue's rap ballads aren't simply about pain and loss. Her futuristic-like-flow in Revolt (ft. Sly Pyper) from her latest offering Roses and Karma, is all about standing up and holding on to your individuality, another theme that reverberates throughout her music.

"No respect for authority/ your regulations bore me/ an if you're done exploiting me/I think I'll change trajectory/ its hectic see/.

But don't take my word about how good she is. Check out some of her offerings below, and if you're in Atlanta, check out the concert.

Life lessons at the Park

A visit to the park Saturday turned very ugly for my 4-year-old daughter. She encountered some other 6-year-old girls on a slide, who began calling her a monster. When my daughter asked them to stop and apologize, they promptly did - noting that they weren't cry babies and were big kids.

But what was said next was even more troubling. "We better say sorry because she's black," one of the girls told the other.

My heart dropped when I heard those words. How does a six year-old even begin to say these words? I called to my daughter and told her that we don't play with people who display such rude behavior. I told her that there was no need to try and be friends with someone who was going to be constantly mean to her.

After we walked away, I told her that she was beautiful and that I was very proud of her. She smiled, and said daddy, whenever we find someone is mean to us and they keep being mean, we just walk away right. I replied "you're right princess."

I didn't try to find the parents of these mean girls. They were no where in sight. I didn't try and correct these misinformed young women. My only concern was preserving the heart and innocence of my beautiful 4-year-old Grace.

I can only imagine that there will be other times that could conceivably be a bit tougher. But I had no idea, that the color of my daughter's skin would come into play with her peers before she even got to kindergarten.

It's Heresy I tell you! Heresy!

In a move that sent shock waves throughout the Hip Hop Industry last week, four masked women, calling themselves Heresy announced their intentions to bring back hardcore lyricism to the genre, through a sonically pleasing delight called Move that Flow.

The 3:56 second song from the quartet has more lyrical content in the first 30 seconds than nearly 80% of  mainstream Hip Hop's top hits right now. Heresy manages to simultaneously change the paradigm of what's expected out of a female Hip Hop artist and return to the rugged grimy hardcore lyricism prevalent throughout the Golden Age of Hip Hop.

Forsaking fancy R&B like choruses and not relying on oversexualized gyrations to cover up average to sub-par lyrics, this super group of femme fatales relies on the art of rhyming and verbally assaulting the beat.

And just who are the members? While I know one of the members personally, and am aware of some of the others, I'm not going to go into any detail about just who is in the group, until they officially make the full reveal. I can say that these are women who know how to handle their business and have a true appreciation for the Hip Hop culture. I think people are going to be surprised and blown away once Heresy reveals itself.

Hip Hop needs balance - a little less pop and a lot more substance- and this super group of female emcees has just the power to do it. It's Heresy I tell you. Heresy!

I really miss my son

My 3-year-old daughter came up to me today and was holding a picture of my son Aaron. For those who are new to the blog, my son was born prematurely in 2010 and passed away shortly after.

So my daughter  - and I apologize if this sounds like rambling but I need to get this out, and writing is the best outlet - held up the picture and asked why was Aaron in the hospital.  You know kids are inquisitive at her age. She then asked me where Aaron was now, and because I am a believer in Christ, I said that he was with the Lord in heaven. She then said that's so far away in the sky and how she wanted to see him so badly.

I told her one day, and she walked away and went off to enjoy her day. But the pain of losing him sliced through me like a hot knife through butter. People tell you, that you're going to be alright, that life goes on - essentially to get over it.

But, it's hard. The hardest thing I ever had to do was say goodbye to my son. I loved him so much. I was there when he took his first breath, and there when he took his last.

Aaron, I miss you so much/

I wish you were here/

Your time spent here was so short/

But I'll cherish every moment of it/

From the time I changed your diaper/

To the time you got your first shot and squeezed my finger/

To the time your mother first breastfed you/

I remember you and I will never forget/

And I know you're looking down and you see/

You can see your sister and your brother/

And God how I wish you were down here with them/

Getting into trouble and doing what kids your age do/

Lord I shed so many tears and I just really fear/

That Aaron thinks I forgot about him/

But please tell him, God I carry him in my heart/

And one day we'll see eachother again/

But until then, i haven't forgotten about you/

I really miss my son