Another Bites the Dust : R.I.P VIBE Magazine

Although I thought that this was a pretty strong magazine, I guess I could see this coming. Music publications had been folding in the past few months and now, one of the biggest ones, VIBE magazine has ended publication. Starting in 1993 by Quincy Jones, VIBE magazine was like NewsWeek for some Black people. I must say, I did enjoy reading many of the articles in the magazine and seeing the colorful covers with many different black *and some white* artists on the front. I'll miss it dearly, but I guess that with everything going digital, they will be focusing more on their website. Thanks for the last sixteen years VIBE, we'll miss you dearly.

BET Awards 2oo9 - Epic Fail, but with some good parts

So listen, I'm not gonna go into too much detail becase i'm sure that everyone saw the awards show last nite, but I will say this :: the WISEST decision that Debra Lee could have made would have been to keep the show as planned for the last few weeks and have a big dedication as the finale. All that other stuff (Ciara -she could've been omitted from the show, the camera work at the bottom of the stage with artists fave MJ moments and whatever else) could have stayed OUT of the show. I know everyone is still shocked and saddened my MJ's death, but BET needs to really get it together. MTV is about to SHUT BET DOWN in September with their MJ tribute and I know everyone knows that.








If there were one person that did their thing last nite, I would have to say it were my dude Ne-Yo :: he sang his face on "Lady in My Life" and "I'll be There". He also did his thing with bringing out the old school artists. The Hero of the Awards hands down definitely Mr. "Miss Independent" himself. Jamie Foxx did his thing too as a host. Although at some points he looked a little dazed and was unaware of what was going, I think he really just rolled with everything that was happening. (BTW :: the Shenehneh/Wanda bit was funny as hell tho -LOL) Jay-Z did his thing, Maxwell sang that "pretty wings" joint, and Trey Songz, Jonny Gill and Tyrese did well on the O'Jays tribute. I was a wee bit confused on Keri Hilson attire for her performance, but I totally understood the end of her performance when she did the call & response with her dancers :-)





And finally, the most touching moment of the night was definitely when Janet Jackson came out and spoke on behalf of the Jackson famliy. Obviously still heavily affected, she was strong and stood her ground and gave a beautiful thank you to everyone. Over all, I think when I take over BET in the next 10 years *you speak things into existence, they shall come to pass* I will be sure to do a better job in a situation like this and work on better programming. I will say this though, I do commend Debra Lee and the entire BET staff for trying their best to put together a tribute to Michael Jackson in such short notice. Let's just hope for future references, BET will look at this train wreck of a show and try to work better.

"Gone Too Soon"

As I sit here watching the "Say Say Say" video on VH1 featuring Paul McCartney and the one and only King of Pop, I still can't grasp and wrap my mind around the fact that Michael Jackson is really gone. The Entertainer of our lifetime, a man of genius and innovation - Michael broke music, race, and many other barriers. And although I only caught the last twenty years of his life, I swear - I feel like I've been following since he started singing with his brothers at the age of five. Michael's legacy will forever be alive in the hearts of millions across the globe. My heart is still very heavy - as a dancer, choreographer and music lover, I have never, ever been affected by an artist's passing in this way. His smile, quiet nature and bad ass dance moves will always live in my heart and TRUST and believe that my kids and my grandkids will know who MJ was and the REALNESS of his music.



I remember watching his performance of "Heal the World" at the Super Bowl and imagining that I was one of the many children standing up on stage with their arms swaying from side to side. Running home from the park to watch the world premier of "remember the time" and INSTANTLY immulating the king-tut dance moves...watching countless marathons on VH1, MTV, & BET and being captivated by the magic that he produced on stage.


Not only was he an amazing performer, but the actions he did as a philanthropist are just infathomable. "Man in the Mirror" is a classic example of the change that Jackson initiated through his music. Just sittin here watching his videos, I can't event begin to think about the major impact his life has made on this Earth. It's unbelievable that this has happened to such an influence on the history of music as an entity.


In closing, I am praying for the Jackson family's strength during this time of grief. I pray that the media *knowing that they probably won't* but that they would have the decency to at least show this man some respect and let him rest in peace. *another part of me - another JAM!* I hope the tragic death of this iconic man teaches us as a human race that we've got one life to live and it's not about how long we live it, but what impact we can make on the people that we come in contact with from day to day. Life is entirely too short for us to stay angry or hold grudges. And as this is may be said everyday, it really does hold true. I'm taking a personal vow to change the way I react to certain situations. The lessons that Michael taught the world through his music are truly remarkable, and I hope that we can all continue to learn from them as time goes on. May God bless your soul Michael Jackson. You have physically left this Earth but your spirit will forever live the hearts of us all.

Rest In Peace <3

R.I.P. - The King of Pop 1958-2009

I never, EVER thought that I would see this day coming, but Michael Jackson, an iconic staple in music across the world, has passed away at the age of 50. As a dancer and music fien, I couldn't believe the words as they crossed my BlackBerry screen. Words cannot even begin to express how I'm feeling right now but I know that his soul is resting in a better place. All my prayers, condolences and thoughts are with the Jackson family in their time of grief. The world will never forget you Michael, your music and spirit will live on for eternity. Rest in Peace.

<3 csc.

Rest In Peace : Farrah Fawcett 1965-2009

Charlie lost one of his Angel's today....Farrah Fawcett lost her three-year battle to cancer today. Her beautiful spirit will forever be remembered. <3

It Ain't Yo Fault?

Here's a new joint from get out of jail free bird (i'm just kidding y'all) Chris Breezy - shouts out to The Neptunes for producing such hot @$$ track ;)

You Betta WORK!

My girl Ci-Ci doin' what she does best...

check out the video link - she goes in *as usual*

*knock knock* " they need to let me testify..."

So today could be the jump start of the Chrianna trial and everyone is staying glued to the TV, computer screen and their blackberry to get the latest info about whether or not that manbeater will actually be put on trial for his shananigans back in February. Unfortunately, *but of course expected*Rihanna's testimony will not be televised, but we all are pulling for her *well at least I am.* For right now, the only vision that I have of this trial in my head is of that Common's 2005 video for his song "Testify". That would be DOPE if it went JUST like this...

"The court awaited as the foreman got the verdict from the bailiff
Emotional outbursts tears and smeared makeup
He stated, he was guilty on all charges
She's shaking like she took it the hardest
A spin artist, she brought her face up laughing
That's when the prosecutor realized what happened
All that speaking her mind testifying and crying
When this bitch did the crime- the queenpin..."


HA! Only in Hollyweird....

Happy Father's Day (or Momma's Pt. 2)

So today is the day that we give our appreciation to all the loving fathers across the world. I've got my different views on Father's Day, but I think it's a beautiful thing when fathers show love and affection to their kids every day of the year. Even if your father may no longer be living on Earth or may be miles away from you, it's still a good thing to show appreciation to him. For the longest, I've been very sensitive about Father's Day because my father is present in my life, but not like I would want him to be. I'm at the dawning of my adulthood and while there are somethings that my father has done that I am not proud of, I have come to grips with them and understood that that is his life, not mine and I have no need to blame myself for his faults. We all are human and make mistakes on the daily - but all I know is that my dad loves me unconditionally and i love him the same. So on this Father's Day, I charge any and everyone just keep their dads in their thoughts: no matter if they are present in your life or not, he is and always will forever be a part of you.

Happy Fathers Day to all the daddies, papas, pops and papi's out there!

Shoe Fetish: The Sneaker Edition

Attention All Sistas : Can't We All Just Get Along?

My beautiful black sistas, why must we continue to hate on/non-constructively criticize each other? As i was having a conversation with my sister this morning, I noticed that I had relentlessly joined in with her on her ranting about "friends" that she used to have in high school a year ago. Apparently, they're being catty a$$ b*tches if you ask me, but let me stop. I just don't understand the whole institution of black women being sour toward one another over irrelevant issues - things that took place in the past and that have no type of validity here in the present. Now don't get me wrong, there will be haters : where ever one may go - but the great black women of this world all had to deal with haters on their way to the top. My thing is, it's best to just kill them with kindness, make them look stupid & not even continue to ignite that fiery ball of hatred and jealousy.

I had to sincerely pull myself back from the route of calling those little girls b*tches & ho's because it just took too much energy to do that. Am i really making a difference by calling their bluff and acknowledging their schoolyard games? Of course not! So the best thing that I can do is just to ignore their childish games & keep being the great individual I am. Ladies, that's one thing that we have to learn - although are fellow female counterparts may not have the nicest attitudes toward us, we have to be the more adult individual, recognize their pettiness & establish a mutual understanding: you don't have to like me, but you will respect me. If she doesn't understand that, and tries to step to you in a way that is wayyy outside of her body, then you will be forced to thrash her *but we don't want to result to that* If we all just take a look around us, in our communities, our society, etc. we have strong black women that are a forced to be reckoned with. Our mothers, sisters, aunts, cousins, grandmothers, city aldermen and councilmen...and then move on to a grander scale, women like Oprah, Michelle Obama, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sonya Sotamayor - women who are doing BIG things. My sistas, we have to aspire to be great and encourage one another to do the same too.

For better or for worse?

As i was driving down the boulevard today and heard one of my fave songs on Usher's "Here I Stand" album neatly entitled "Hear I Stand" As I listened to the words *which he so tastefully wrote for his ex-wife* I'm thinking, "this all could have been avoided if he would've listened to his mom AND his millions of fans - or could it have been?" Like, I had a hunch like none OTHER when he got engaged that chick that she had a master plan. She did exactly what I knew she was gonna do : marry this multi-million dollar superstar, pop out one or two of his kids, splurge a bit *ergo, her plastic surgery that went terribly wrong in Brazil* and then divorce him. I know that may be a bit far fetched, and over exaggerated, but i'm just throwing out my opinion. I may be totally wrong about her motives...maybe they really loved each other.
It's a sappy, typical love story, but it's no wonder that the marriage rates are lower than the divorce rates in this country! People are marrying each other because it's convenient AT THE MOMENT. Marriage is a lifetime commitment - yes, the insurance & tax benefits are well and good, but I think there needs to more examples set (besides Will & Jada, Barack & Michelle, Denzel & Paula) for us 20-somethings who are living this single life and thinking about possibly getting married in the near future. I know that when I do find Mr. Perfect, i'm gonna be in it for the long haul.

Don't get me wrong, I know things aren't perfect: people make mistakes, grow apart & fall out of love - i know this! but with our society being so fixated on what happens to these wealthy celebrities, how do you not question the institution of marriage and whether or not people now days are marrying for true love for the long haul or just because they want the perks that will benefit them individually?

I'm just curious - and i'd appreciate some insight about this subject.

<3csc.

Roses are red, & those shoes are killin' too

Amber Rose just did a spread for Emoda.com and did the darn thing. As we all know, Ms. Rose is Kanye's piece, and ever since that ad she did for his sneaks, her name & face has been seen here there and everywhere. But you can't hate on the chick, she does her thing. It'll be interesting to see how much her career blow-upchuates now that she's back with the Louis Vuitton Don. Gone head, girl *two snaps*

emergency room :: mario f. rihanna

if y'all havent' heard this tune by now, y'all have got to hit up YouTube or Imeem and take a listen. I originally heard this song about three weeks after the Chris Brown/Rihanna fiasco *side eye* and thought, "Dayum, she just went at dude's head doe?! Like, pullin' out his IV?! That's pretty clever girlie.." lol - and of course, my boy Mario blessed the track with his sultry voice *and fine @$$ by THEE way, lol* Take a gander @ the track & let me know what you think of it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9HJz4izAYM

seeing stars?

she asked for three, feel asleep in the chair & came out the shop with 56.
needless to say, i would've been TIGHT.

i'm just tryna get my spot like a polka dot

it always rains in northern chicago...that's what "da town's" new slogan should be. i wish the sun would come out and play for longer than one day. but anyway...on to other things. so my time here in the 'go is coming closer to a close. i can't believe a month went by that fast, but i'm heading back to school for the rest of the summer and i actually couldn't be more excited. i hope to save enough money to pay off some of my expenses & to even buy a few things for myself ;)
speaking of "things", i went to saks 5th ave on michigan ave sunday and saw some aweeesome some stuff. like, i looked like a kid in a candy store. christian louboutin, louis vouttion, gucci, you name it - it was all there and it looked sooo pretty. i'm a sucker for shoes & handbags, so that's all that caught my eye. with all that i want to do in my career, i just hope hope i'll be able to afford all of that cool stuff. while material things aren't everything, sometimes you've gotta treat yourself every now and then. ;)

i guess the real topic of discussion for this entry is how i've felt like an outcast since being back at home. like i can totally be "anti" when i want to and be totally stand off-ish when i want, but when you have to force it on yourself, it's not as fun. not to say that i'm making myself feel out of place, it just feels weird being back home after being gone for sooo long. i guess it's just another stepping stone to my growth & maturity, huh? but i will say this - being back at home has allowed me to settle somethings and realize others about people that i'm cool with. some of the friends that i have *and love immensely* are selfish brats. wham, i said it! lol, they only care about themselves and throw gosh darn pity parties for themselves 24/7 *365 (or 366). like wth, get OVER yourself, please!?! it's 2oo9, we're in a recession - times are already hard, and you're gonna make it even worse by making people feel sorry for you? i know that sonds heartless, but it's true....you are the controller of your own destiny and well being. sometimes, people have to understand that we must alternate the way we live in order to get the results that we want. i'm learning that first hand and as hard as it's going to be, the results are really going to show by the end of this year and i know i'm going to be extremely proud of myself. i think it's just gonna take me getting away from home to really implement my plan of action. i'm excited =]

in essence, i just want to encourage people and myself to dream and never stop dreaming. dreams really do come true as cornballish as that sounds. proactivity will be the theme for the rest of this year, along with my on-going theme of "let go&&let god"

i think the two together might just be inseperable.
<3csc.

closer to my dreams <3

it's been a minute since my last entry, so i thought i would just check-in.
so, like many people predicted *sigh* the los angeles lakers are the 2oo9 NBA champions. it's not really a surprise - i just don't understand why everyone was so ecstatic about this victory. i mean, it is what it is. *lol* moving on to other news, i have finally figured out what type of career i want to have, it's just a matter of me getting to that final destination. I know it's gonna take a few twists, turns & detours, but I am confident that i will get there. being at home has allowed me to take time to really think and clear my head so that when i get back to the cuse next month, i'll be able to start making things happen. i think my dilemma *or maybe its a blessing* is that i have so many different interests and i just want to make sure that i satisfy each of them. i've got a love for fashion, music, and dance. that combination is dope & deadly. but as i was talking to my cousin yesterday, there are somethings that i will have to put on hold in order to fulfill my destinies right now. i just need to make a list of everything that i want/need to do before i graduate. i think spain next summer will be a reality, i'm going to madrid/barcelona - that is a must. i just have to figure out when i will be able to fulfill my internship. but now that i think about, my major allows me to do an internship in syracuse as a practicum, so it will be fulfilled. spain, summer 2010. i can see it now. as for everything else? wowzers, i've got four semesters to fit in fun, growth, maturity & experience. i think i can do it, do you? ;-)


so far, i think i'm heading in the right direction. i've spent majority of my life worrying about what others would think about my actions, but now that i'm starting to come into my own, i'm breaking that mold of really giving a f*ck about what people have to say or think. in retrospect, i've gotta have respect for people's opinions, but i think wheni touch down in the cuse for the 2009-2010 school year, i just may have to ruffle a few feathers with what i'm about to do. the scary thing is, i've got the tools and know how to be the next college phenom, but i've just got to figure out where to start. like i love reviewing things - but i also want to be able publicize and plan events...hmmm if there was a way for me to bring them together...to the laboratory i must go! gotta get all these ideas on paper. one thing that i do know is that dreams come true to those who believe in themselves and what they are capable of. the world better watch out ;-)
<3csc.

to make you feel my love <3

so it's basically midnite on a saturday evening and i'm sitting inside the crib, just chilling, listening to adele's remake of bob dylan's "make you feel my love. i absolutely love that song, but anyway - the reason why i chose to blog on this crispy chicago saturday night/early sunday morning because there's really not much else to do. but i've been quite the busy bee lately; with all of this planning and other things as well. i'm just ready for the weather to get nice and stay nice so i can really fulfill my time here in chicago before i head back to school. but let me get deep and philisophical on y'all just for a minute. . . =]

lately, i've just felt a little lost in translation - being back @ home and seeing friends and family, it's all felt like a dream to me. i feel like i've been going through the motions lately, all the while keeping to myself and just living life from day to day. it's like, i want the real me to jump out and just experience life as those around me do. i think part of my problem is that i'm too busy observing life around me, trying to figure what would be the safest move to make instead of just going for it. not being afraid to fall and get a little scrape here and there - because it usually builds charcter and makes you stronger. i hope that this summer teaches me to open up and be more accpeting of the life around me, because right now, i'm sooo sheltered within myself that i'm just a little bit intimidated to live life on the edge just a little bit. i can't be afraid to live forever, right?

i guess i should speak upon the song which this entry is titled, right? well, like i said earlier, adele remade bob dylan's song "make you feel my love" and she does a beautiful job. but there's much truth behind the song though - and it doesn't necessarily have to deal with romantic relationships, but it can deal with any type of relationship that you have in your life. for me personally, i see the song as a personal metaphor - me finally wanting to live life for me and live it to the fullest. also, just being able to approach certain situations with confidence & solidarity. i guess this feeling is all a part of growing up, huh? but i know that i'll eventually figure out where i'm going, how i'm getting there & who will be on the wild & craziii ride with me. unil then, i'm just going to enjoy every breathe i take and dance like there's no tomorrow.

signing off - over&&out.

<3csc.

*shine/everybody nose

my computer decided to mysteriously end my last entry, so i must start again *hehe*

but like i was saying the first time, it is another beautiful day in surbuban chicago & i think that this summer is off to a great start. i'm doing my best to stay positive about achieving my goals and dreams; adequately setting myself up for success. So what has been going in the lovely world of LilMizSunshyne? Bucket loads of fun, of course. Kicked off the summer by going to the Dillo Day concert Saturday with a few friends to see Estelle & N.E.R.D. and it was dopetastic (check out just a few of the photos above). Loved both of the sets they put on. I could've done without all of the pushing and shoving and crowd surfing - but hey, it was a college concert, so you were going to experience that, right? Estelle was madd funny & quite entertaining. She kept it real with the crowd & even when a girl got hurt from the shananigans of some knuckleheads, she stopped her set to see if she was alright. I must say, it was rather distracting for the paramedics to come in front of the stage to assist the girl, but i guess you have to do what you have to do sometimes. When N.E.R.D. came on stage, the crowd went bananas! I was just geeked to see Pharrell *giggles* he's madd cute in person, but the crowd started getting a bit reckless, so me and my girls had to chuck the deuces and moved toward the exit so we could breathe and not get trampled over. But from where we stood, it was pretty dope and they had the lights just a flashing...i was really seeing sounds ;-) My next concert *i'm hoping, but it's like next week, so who knows" is the Musiq/Anthony Hamilton/Chrisette Michele show @ the Arie Crown Theater on June 13th. I love R&B, so i know that this concert is gonna be dope. But if I dont make that, I will be attending the Taste of Chicago where I will see Ne-Yo & Keri Hilson for free! Apparently, Lupe Fiasco is supposed to be performing in Grant Park for free, but I'm still unaware of the day that he'll be there. Regardless, I'm there. (got "Soldier" by N.E.R.D f/ Lil Wayne & Santogold in the headphones right now....goes hard!)


Now on to bigger things, like planning this QUEST workshop for the class of 'o9. so much to do, so little time. but i'm not worried - i've got lots of help and i know that this going to be yet another success.

Anything else...oh! be on the look out for my future endeavors coming to life, starting summer 2009. it's about to get really real, really quick. can't wait for the ride ...


<3csc.