Jay-Z is the poster child for the NBA Image

I read an article from the Seattle Times and came across an interesting tidbit....





"Before last season, each team presented a version of the same slide show. The first slide depicts rap mogul Jay-Z seated courtside in an oxford shirt, sweater and necktie. "I'm not a businessman," a caption on the slide show reads, "I'm a business, man."
The slide show preaches the importance of image and the need to change the public perception of NBA players." (Source)

Who in the hell left the gate open?

Today, Sandra Rose, pointed out the discrepencies that are Shawn Carter's grill.
"They can spend money extravagantly on unnecessary things, but can't spend a couple of dollars to fix their teeth? No wonder Jay Z rarely smiles - and for that we are grateful."

"Not only can you see his crooked front tooth, but are those weed stains on his teeth? Wow, has Jay ever sat in a dentist's chair in his life?" - Sandra Rose

In spite of having more than enough money and making the Forbes list, Mr. Carter chooses not to take care of his teeth. And neither does Sean "Diddy" Combs. 50 Cent got shot in his mouth and has great teeth. Even Kanye has nice teeth.

I have no real point. I read Sandra's blog and then read the article that mentioned Jay-Z on a NBA slide show about image. And it made me laugh.

I thought about the NBA players I've seen over the years with bad teeth (Reggie Miller) and bad skin (Dennis Rodman) and it never was an issue.

And I noticed its because they are men.

If Beyonce was sporting Jay-Z's grill would he still be interested in sporting her on his arm?

Can a woman have acne and blemishes and still be considered sexy, like Diddy works so hard to perserve and maintain?

Is Jay-Z really a good example of image?

Well I guess if you want players to put up a front like they are really a big deal, when honestly they made a name for themselves as a business man based off someone's else work.

Yeah I said it.

I know I'm reading too deep into this.

But its the truth!

So Louisiana Does Have Money!!!!

It seems lately the sports pages have been filled with the BEST DAMN INFORMATION. First, it was Jay-Z and NFL Player Larry Johnson owned a NYC home together, Second was the breakdown on Jena 6 by Jason Whitlock on FoxSports.com and now an article reporting that Lousiana has approved $14.5 million for the New Orleans Hornets to build a practice facility.

"The state will spend $1.5 million on the practice center this year and the rest in later years.

The dollars were included in Gov. Kathleen Blanco's recommendations for construction projects to be funded with state dollars, and those recommendations received unanimous Bond Commission approval.

The city of New Orleans has set aside more than $6 million to help pay for the project, which is estimated to cost more than $20 million.

In the meantime, the Hornets are practicing rent-free in the state-owned Alario Center in suburban Westwego, where they also practiced for their first three seasons in New Orleans before being temporarily displaced to Oklahoma City by Hurricane Katrina before the 2005-06 season."(Source)

So we shouldn't be hearing anything else about the despair New Orleans' residents are in trying to rebuild their homes or relocate back to their hometown, right?

If a damn NBA team can go rent free and receive money to build a new practice facility, there should be no more FEMA trailers by next year. Those homes that are just sitting unclaimed can be demolished and the streets clear of debris and new homes can be built, right or wrong?

The message is being sent loud and clear to me.

I know sports is a vital asset to a city, but come on, the Hornets couldn't find a corporate sponsor for a $20 million practice facility?

This is amazing.

Throwback Thursday: Public Enemy

In honor of today....I went back to 1989....FIGHT THE POWER!

National Day of Action: Justice for the Jena 6

Today marks the National Day Of Action, and I ask what is a day?

There is injustive committed everyday in our own backyards and we do nothing.

But we were quick to jump on a bus to the middle of "never heard of before this happened town".

Let me finish.

I'm glad today people chose to stand for something. But a lot fell for anything.

Too many times I heard "FREE the Jena 6".

So are we condoning violence now? It was a 6 on 1 fight.

But wait, let me finish.

I have been told maybe ten stories of what happened. And I found out that the tree incident had nothing to do with the six black students that were being charged with attempted murder for jumping a white student.

Its the deep south so I would think racism is routine when there is a so called "white tree" on campus.

In the North we have sophisticated racism so a lot us were outraged by this and it sparked a brush fire. Even though one had nothing to do with the other.

Well if that's what it takes.

But its good that every 10 years or so we unite for a call to action.

Its great for these six students that were going to serve time in prison for a schoolyard fight and have their lives changed forever for the worse.

Hopefully, our children will learn from this.

Every case doesn't get a national call to action and nationwide protests against injustice.

And while your child or family member could have been one of the Jena 6, more than likely you would stand alone in protest and your child would be going to prison.

Since everybody is in Louisiana, how about stopping in New Orleans and raising some hell there too!

I wonder how many Black men would be murdered today? And who's going to prison for a crime they didn't commit or will get sentenced for 5 years for having a crack rock?

Makes Me Wanna Holler!

Throwback Thursday: Remembering Tupac Amaru Shakur

I remember September 13, 1996 like it was yesterday. Pac had been the talk all week, everybody thought they knew he would recover from this latest shooting. He managed to survive an ambush about a year prior in New York and checked himself out the hospital to go to court the next morning, so we really thought this would be no different.

It was a Friday night, around 8pm when the news came across the radio. I was sitting in my bedroom and I just couldn't believe it.

11 years later, its crazy how we still feel his lost. I really try to hold on thinking maybe he is in Cuba with Assata, but that's only in hopes that Pac will return and save us.

So on this Throwback Thursday, I decided to share one of my favorite songs by him
"Keep Ya Head Up". This song still gets to me, the same as it did when I first heard it at 12 years old.



But of course, Pac had the party songs and "Toss It Up" often gets overlooked, so I wanted to go back to that one: Aaron Hall and K-Ci & Jo-Jo on one song was genius because they are all cracked out now. This video from what I hear helped Lisa Raye get that starring role in "The Player's Club". What ever happened to Danny Boy?


There are so many songs I loved, but this one is the ultimate for me "Temptations". Pac was in jail and his friends did the video.


Enjoy!

80s Babies: The Forgotten Generation

Moguls in Training

Since 1980

I write this in response to all the news coverage for the past two weeks of all the college freshman moving in. My alma mater had an incoming class of 4,300. So where are all these students supposed to work in 4 years I wondered? My graduating class in 2004 was around 7,000, the biggest graduating class in history at that time. This was just at one school. And I am still looking for a steady job with benefits or what I like to call a GOOD ASS JOB.

There have been many stories covering "the future of America" and its always high school students. But I thought Whitney Houston was singing about me when she sung, " I believe the children are our future, teach them well, and let them lead the way..." I know its a remake, but the year was 1985 and that song became a standard.

I've come to the conclusion that if you were born between the years of 1978-1988, you have been forgotten about. I guess somewhere in between 'Saying No To Drugs' and 'A Mind Is Terrible Thing To Waste' our leaders forgot we existed. I guess they didn't heed their own messages.

I say this because, so many of us hold degrees or are in the process of obtaining one, and the job market can not accomodate the brain power.

In spite of crack and Reaganomics, we made it. We stayed motivated by positive images. Between Bill Cosby and Chuck D, WE MADE IT HAPPEN AND GOT THE DEGREE OUR PARENTS DIDN'T and wanted to us to have so bad.

At the same time, in spite of our parents not having degrees, what they did have was A GOOD ASS JOB. What most of our generation lacks. We still live in the house we grew up in.

Here are some key things, I've observed with 80s babies.

We're very entrepreneurial, but have no support.

We're very creative, but too ahead of our time.

We mesh well with 70s babies, who think they are 80s babies, when they were in fact teenagers during this era. They fail to pass the torch.

Too afraid to act their age and want to suck up ALL of our youth.

(S. Carter, I'm talking to you and Hustle Simmons, you're the worst of them all. Nothing personal, but they are kings of this example.)

As I knock on 30's door, what has happened to the land of opportunity?

I did what I was told. I did great in school, got my piece of paper, interned, and actually have experience.

But at the end of the day, I think the 80s babies got bamboozled!!!! And I want my 80 babies reparations to pay off this dumb ass student loan.

Where have all the GOOD ASS JOBS gone?

How are people supposed to pay off their student loans when they have no jobs upon graduation?

Even 5 years after graduation?

Outside of doctors, nurses, lawyers, and teachers, what are the benefits of attending college when it no longer has an impact on employment?

Should "attending university" go back to becoming a luxury of the rich and not a burden on the working class?

I do see the value in higher education, but I kind of feel like we got scammed.

What's your take?

Beginning Sept. 26: HHM Model Wednesdays

I felt like HHM needed a little something to just step it up a notch....
So starting today, we will be looking for models to showcase each and every Wednesday to coincide with the new season of "America's Next Top Model." All ranges of experience are invited to submit, male and female, must 19 years and older (if you look younger than 19, you won't be picked).

All you have to do is send an email to hiphopmoguls@gmail.com and request for a profile sheet. You will have to answer the profile and submit two pictures to be featured on the site. Females will have the option of being featured on our FOXSports.com blog, The Girl's Locker Room as an added bonus.

Get Your Shine On!

Serious Inquiries Only.
The photos must be pictures of you, for all you photo jackers out there!

Weekend Fresh: The Main Event in 3 Days

Who Will Be The King of Hip Hop?

Neither One of These Fools....

Being that this made the cover of Rolling Stone magazine just goes to show who really cares about this...

....and BET has the nerve to be covering sales all day long when we know damn well sales are tabulated by what is shipped, not by the cash register.

Don't Believe The Hype!

At the end of the day, our communities are still suffering. Let's focus this energy on things that matter on September 11th.

Throwback Thursday: Mic Geronimo

Who remembers Mic Geronimo? Irv Gotti's first signed artist. Hype Williams directed this debut video, "It's Real" back in 1994. Enjoy!



On this next track "Time To Build" Geronimo teamed up with three up and coming artists back in 1995. You may have heard of them...Jay-Z, DMX, and Ja Rule.



I actually still have both of these songs somewhere on cassette, lol!

FYI: The next Throwback Thursday on September 13th will be held in honor of Tupac Shakur.

Iverson's Trash Can Be Yours.....

A Superstar's Auction is taking place in Philly tomorrow. The previous owners were unknown to the public until someone read a label inside an item of clothing that read Iverson....

This is so far from dumpster diving. I would compare it to a department store warehouse sale, but waayyyyyy better!

When Allen Iverson was traded to the Nuggets last season, he and his family had to leave some things behind. And tomorrow they can be yours.
Chinchilla, mink, fox & leather coats; designer & brand name clothing and accessories by Very Cuoio, Prada, Manolo Blahnik, Chanel, YSL, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Gianmarco Lorenzi, Nija (NY Milan), Kokin (NY), Philip Treacy (London), & Neiman Marcus; Contemporary art glass, set Bentley 21” rims w/ tires; 2 sets Rolls Royce 20” rims w/ tires; set Ford expedition 18” rims w/ tires; child’s gas powered Masseratti auto; Yamaha pocket rocket motorcycle; pony buckboard wagon; Mitchell & Ness & other sports jerseys; Harmon Kardon & other stereo equipment; exercise equipment; Toshiba flat screen television & other electronics; more!!!


I was a bit curious about an extensive collection of religious artifacts. I'm assuming its from the Iverson house as well.





The auction will be held Thursday evening at 5:00 at BSS Auction in Port Richmond(Philadelphia). You can learn more by visiting http://www.bssauction.com/.

View the Gallery Auction here.

Now On DVD: Confessions of a BET Producer

Every question you ever had about why BET does what it does will be answered when you watch this DVD.
Former 'Rap City' producer, Dbrad, breaks it all down in this candid tell all confessional that details the last 8 years of the inner workings of the network and its deliberate sabotage of black cultural views especially pertaining to hip hop.

Get a first hand account on how hip hop megastars like Jay-Z and Eve were destined for the cutting room floor, Nelly becoming the breakout star in 2000, the alienation of hip hop legends, eliminating feminine energy in hip hop, the negative depiction of Tupac Shakur and how Tupac's vision of Thug Life has taken on a mainstream destorted version in the form of 50 Cent.

Clip from "Confessions of a BET Producer"
Confessions of a BET Producer

Add to My Profile More Videos

Available Now: Click Here for More Info

This is something everyone needs to watch, its not just about music. Dbrad gives an accurate point of view of how the entertainment industry is deliberately and knowingly corrupting the minds of a generation.

Get a broader perspective before turning the channel or protesting against a system that has already caused damage. Don't steam roll Don Imus, he's not a threat. And don't steam roll hip hop artists, they're only the messenger. Let's investigate our entertainment mediums. Don't be fooled by the name, Black Entertainment Television. Understand its a business owned by a white corporation. Money is the bottom line. Coonville rules.

The ONLY network that has ever done good by our community is PBS.

Happy Labor Day: Support The Movement

In my desire to promote Signature Blogs further I need you to support me in getting the word out....

We have a page on myspace....www.myspace.com/hiphopmoguls and you need to be our friend and put us in your Top 4, 8, 16, 20, 24, 32, 40 because we want people to know we exist. So hit up the page and send a request. I can't afford to mail off giveaways right now, but in the near future I will have some prizes for our readers and supporters.

Also...
Hit up The Girl's Locker Room on Fox Sports Blogs, to get the latest in hot sports topics spun by my blog universe alter ego, Miss America. She is I and I am her, and together... we about to pop shit off!!!

Happy Labor Day!!!!

The BBG Report - "50 Cent Has Man Boobies"

Brooklyn Bizness Girl shares an observation of her boi, Mr. Curtis.....

Has any one noticed 50's "man breasts". We all know that he does have a great body but he can get on the chunky side. 50-get it together you're almost a B cup.

See 50's Man Breasts up close an personal....