The social dilemma of tolerating violence against women for musical appreciation.

By: Michaela Angela Davis

I remember being mad about “Mad At Miles,” Pearl Cleage’s brave and brilliant account of Miles Davis’s brutalities towards women. I wish it was simple, that I was simply mad at Miles for whooping Cicely Tyson’s behind, our Cicely our queen, no I was mad at the conflict and the confusion it caused me. You see, I had to contend with “Kind of Blue” and “Sketches of Spain.” Miles made music of the Gods, not to mention he was the hippest, sharpest dressed, defiant, hypnotically striking, dangerously sexy man to ever put his mouth to metal.  Miles was a giant, a Black mans hero, a genius and a monster.

Now, I am mad again. Mad at Chris Brown. Chris Brown, the bright smiling young Black boy who when he danced, you dare not turn away. Happy Chris, who shined through all the sludge of thug glamour. Chris has that star thing and a sick work ethic. Chris Brown heir apparent to Michael Jackson, who couldn’t perform at his memorial because the swollen, black and blue, face of Rihanna was still too bloody fresh in our minds. Our new pop prince beat down the princess and all the kings horses and all the kings men didn’t come to put anything back together again.

Again, there is the conflict, no easy condemnation. Chris Brown is a broken Black boy. A boy who watched his mama get beat, a brilliant boy catapulted on stage. A boy whose got numerous adults on his payroll who could decide to spend 5K a day on a stylist but not $250 per hour for therapist? So many people are satisfied with his public apologies, especially young girls (many thought Rihanna must have done something to deserve it– sigh). Chris says he’s taking anger management courses. Does Chris need to manage his anger or does he need to heal from it? Chris needs intense professional help, he needs healthy accountable adults that are committed to his well being and not his balance sheet.  Rihanna deserves so much healing too and our young girls deserve a prince to sing to. So I guess that’s why Chris is charting and garnering magazine covers so swiftly after his fall (and would his rise be so swift if Rihanna was say, Taylor Swift?). Truth be told the ‘I Can Transform Ya” video is fire and his latest single “Crawl” is pretty much pop-perfection. Chris Brown is this generation’s great entertainer and he beats up women.

And then there is R. Kelly. He also makes me mad. I remember when the brilliance of R.Kelly hit me, cause I didn’t get it at first (too distracted by the visuals I guess). But I started listening to his music, his hooks, R.Kelly can sure write some songs. He spans all genres and generations, “Step in the Name of Love” gets even your cranky old auntie sliding at the family cookout and “I Believe I Can Fly” is a pre-schooler’s anthem, not to mention the countless hits he gave to the hip-hop generation. His repertoire is ridiculous and his crimes towards women, reprehensible. R.Kelly’s transgressions suggest that not only does he prey on young girls, but he enjoys humiliating them. Seems like all those folks buying tickets to his concerts are satisfied with the acquittal and have long forgotten the disgusting and degrading images of that girl being urinated on, or maybe it’s just not that cut and dry. R. Kelly is truly gifted and he is a pedophile.

All of this is maddening because it brings up more questions and paradoxes then resolutions and concrete positions. I turned to Facebook to get a quick consensus and while some very clear opinions where expressed, many questions were posed. Do celebrities live in an alternate universe that makes them immune to justice? Does creative genius forgive all sins? Should someone’s art be judged separately from their character? Is society too tolerant of abuse against women and children? What about a second chance? Should celebrities that abuse women be financially rewarded? Is it only conscious over 25 years old who are outraged? Does our tolerance reflect our values? Have we been historically, thoroughly taught that the lives of Black girls and women are not worthy of protection, that sexual abuse and violence should be expected and absorbed into our collective DNA, that we are built to take it?

So what’s a couple punches between a dope beat?

“If we rejected art based on the artists’ imperfections, transgressions and sins there would be a great many artists whose work we would not enjoy” was the comment of one of my wiser friends Florence Tate. “James Brown was a woman beater we’re still enjoying his music right?” another commented. True that. But isn’t also true that we have to evolve?  Isn’t it true we have to challenge and dismantle not just forgive our sins?  Isn’t it true we must have the community self-esteem to ask the hard questions?  Like asides from Kevin Powell and Byron Hurt, where are the healthy Black men, especially the celebrities, who are outraged at these abuses?  Why don’t they encourage their brothers to get some real help, step of the stage for a time to heal and reflect?  Who is publicly consistently wrapping their arms around our women and girls proving they are beautiful and worthy of protection?  When do we stop being either, compliant or silent?  Can we love the music of Chris Brown, R. Kelly and others while simultaneously loathe their abuses?

What is your answer?  What do you question?
Read more: http://www.essence.com/entertainment/commentary_4/chris_brownrkelly_album_review.php#ixzz0Z7mWjv0n

Seriously though, Brown looked nervous and uncomfortable, but more importantly he portrayed himself as an illiterate celebrity in desperate need of good public relations.

As Brown sat between his mother and lawyer, he continuously looked down as he answered, or didn’t answer, Larry King’s questions. This was Brown’s chance to gain some redemption for his atrocious acts, but instead he seemed as if he was putting on a façade to be apologetic.

When King asked about the incidents that occurred, Brown’s repeated responses were, “I don’t know” or “Out of respect for her [Rihanna] and

Marlon Williams. Photo Credit: The Famuan

 myself, I don’t want to discuss that.” But the response that tickled my feather the most was, “I don’t remember.” Really? You don’t remember beating Rihanna to oblivion, while you were driving? You don’t remember busting her upside the head and threatening to kill her? When did you get amnesia? If you can’t remember that, either you were high on Rick James’ cocaine or you’re bipolar.

King was very amiable, but took no pity on Brown. He asked the hard questions and Brown refused to answer. King continuously referred to the police affidavit to jog Brown’s memory, but Brown couldn’t answer anything because he had a case of amnesia. King asked Brown about controlling his anger. Brown said he is young and learning. He also said, “Nobody wrote a book on how to control our anger and emotions.” So, you need a book to tell you how to do that? No, you need some home training. By the way, there are many books about anger management, but by listening to him speak, I don’t think he does much reading. Eventually, Brown seemed to get frustrated with King’s questions, and I’m sure King felt Brown was wasting his time.

Brown reminded me of a fourth-grader at a parent-teacher conference because he barely spoke for himself. Brown’s lawyer and mother, who was dressed as if she just left Wednesday night church service, constantly spoke up for him. If he was prepped on anything, it was to not say much, which from a PR perspective is a bad move; silence will only hurt you.

Honestly, I think Chris should make a deal to have a reality show about anger management counseling on Vh1. What better way to boost his career back into gear?   

He should do a reality show or a sex tape. That seems to be the trend anyway.

What may be over is Chris Brown’s career. That interview was simply wretched. This was his time to shine, but instead he sank deeper into the abyss of shame. I’m not saying that people should forgive him or hate him for his hideous act, but I do know he should work on his interviewing skills. I really wish Brown the best in recovery of his amnesia.

Thanks, Chris, for the best time I ever had on Twitter.

Marlon Williams writes for The Famuan, the Florida A&M University student newspaper, which originally published this article. Article courtesy of the Black College Wire.

After watching Oprah strap a slowly ticking time bomb to Chris Brown’s once enviable career, it was clear that the R&B universe desperately needed someone… anyone… to claim the shamed Mike Jack reboot’s forfeited crown and hold the struggling genre down until he bounced back from his looming legal woes.

Alejandro Ford

Initially, syrupy hitmaker Ne-Yo pranced into my mind as a fitting Breezy stand-in — mainly due to his obvious triple threat appeal — along with milk-cartoned croonsmith Trey Songz, blunt lusting slow jammist J. Holiday and lazy tongued love lizard Lloyd before I finally awarded the crown to the most unlikely R&B superstar of our generation — An incredibly innovative, vowel yelping dough boy named The-Dream.

Blessed with the body of a Teddy Ruxpin plush doll and the face of a golden dipped cabbage patch kid, Terius Nash aka The-Dream is not your typical R&B panty wetter… but daaaaaaaamn! … Dude… gets… it…in… and currently has every freak’um dressed estrogen vessel seductively rockin’ their sh*t inside a club near you.

Now I know some of you are thinking: “Alejandro… are you serious?! How could you crown this muppet voiced sh*t talker over Jamie Foxx (Hot part-time R&B artist who currently has five Dream-penned songs on his album), Teddy Pain (Mega-successful trendsetter whose career is fading by the minute) and Musiq (…Err… who?)?!”

And to you doubters I say: Because it’s my M@$#$@ F@$%#@ blog you damn Kanye sing-a-longers and retarded azz music lovers… that’s why! …If you don’t agree with me then you’re certainly welcome to put together your own musically insightful blog and argue on behalf of Avant, Case, Jon B., Sterling Simms and any of the aforementioned artists who YOU feel should rock the crown in Breezy’s absence …

There’s simply no way I can deny The-Dream’s brilliant R.Kelly-esque writing touch and galactically mind-bending production courtesy of creative partner Christopher “Tricky” Stewart that’s certified the stubble-faced hit machine behind Rihanna’s “Umbrella,” Beyonce’s “Single Ladies,” J. Holiday’s “Bed/Suffocate,” Raheem DeVaughn’s “Customer,” and Mary J. Blige’s “Just Fine,” as an undeniable heart throb and urban music tastemaker.

However, if there is a chink in the arrogant crooner’s platinum plated armor, it’s his slack azz stage presence (Dream may be one of the worst live performers in the free world) and sock puppetish singing ability, which have always been eclipsed by his ultra-sultry club anthems that lure the ladies onto the dance floor and into the arms of their next one night stand candidate/ex-boyfriend.

As painful as it is to admit liking the foul-mouthed boo snatcher and both of his infectiously catchy albums Love/Hate and the newly released Love vs. Money, I felt compelled to recognize the gifted ‘Radio Killa’ as a mainstream artist that’s actually making quality music. Right now, I know several dudes who bump The-Dream when trying to invade their girl’s sticky nether regions only to deny ever listening to a single one of his songs when asked by others.

But as alluring as The-Dream’s quirky brand of R&B may be, the chart smoldering superstar wasn’t always a major solo act and grinded for years as a faceless songwriter before trading his golden pen for a mic of his own like writer turned artist Ne-Yo successfully did before him.

To me, Jay-Z’s signing of The-Dream to a solo deal was one of Hov’s crowning achievements as Def’s Prez even though he allowed the upstart’s debut album Love/Hate to slide into the fourth quarter with very little promotion on its way to a Dec. 11, 2007 release.

Fortunately for the 27-year-old Atlanta product, the Purple Rain drizzled album boasted several irresistibly slinky bangers like the club rocking ladies anthem “I Love Ur Girl,” the seductive slow burner “Falsetto” and the breezy, Prince-inspired ditty “Fast Car” to name a few.

Other than being certified Gold months after its release and hailed as a contemporary classic, Love/Hate was beloved by the ladies and quietly placed in heavy rotation by the fellas who couldn’t seem to get enough of “I Luv Ur Girl.”

With several hit records under his belt and the eyes of an entire industry glued to his every power move, The-Dream recently tightened his grip on the game with the release of his highly-anticipated follow-up to Love/Hate entitled Love Vs. Money — A lushly polished, conceptual masterpiece loaded with epically entrancing soundscapes and libido tickling pillow talk — that moved over 151K copies during its first week of release off  the strength of lead mega-single “Rockin’ That Thang.”

If you haven’t banged Love Vs. Money and claim to be some sort of R&B head, I highly recommend that you mash *STOP* on that other wack azz ‘Kiss Me Thru The Phone & B’ sh*t and familiarize yourself with one of the hottest R&B albums to drop in the last few years.

Even if you despise The-Dream as an artist, there will be parts of you that won’t be able to resist gems like “Fancy” “Sweat It Out” “Put It Down” “Kelly’s 12 Play”…etc… especially if you’re a woman looking to get knocked up in the near future.

Hopefully, The-Dream will continue to grow as an artist/writer while keeping R&B relevant to the masses until Breezy returns and adds another potent shot of creative energy into the veins of the artistically diseased genre.

But until then, our only option is to wait on new albums from Justin Timberlake, Trey Songz, Raheem DeVaughn, Pleasure P, Static Major (R.I.P.), Eric Roberson, D’Angelo, Johnta Austin and a rumored Kanye/Dream joint-album that’s only intriguing if The-Dream exclusively handles the vocals and forces that delusion tattered whack job to remember how to rap again. THAT’S RIGHT, I said it! Come and get meeeeeeeeeeee….

This has been another Alejandro production.