Moroccan & Monroe, the adorable twins of R&B diva Mariah Carey and Mr. Funny man himself, Nick Cannon strolled through Tribeca the other day enjoying the warm weather. The twins will celebrate their 2nd birthday at the end of this month, so Happy Early Birthday to dem babies!!
I know you feel that you "love him" or that "he loves you" but condoning his infidelity should never be a description of 'love.' When someone truly loves you, they have eyes for ONLY YOU. No one else. We live in a generation where love is no longer defined by genuine feelings but by lust and selfishness. Too many people are getting together at the expense of just not being alone, while knowing deep down in their hearts that they don't care for that person. If they're not "with them" just to brag about having someone, they're "with them" for the sex, but to not make it look so terrible refer to the person as boyfriend or girlfriend just so it will be approved in the eyes of others. Tisk, tisk, tisk....
My personal take, is that a relationship should ALWAYS consist of Honesty, Loyalty, Faithfulness, Trust & Good Communication. Without those things, a relationship is headed for a very early destruction. What drives people to cheat on their supposed significant other? Of course you hear the typical excuses of "She just wasn't giving me what I need," or "He makes room for his buddies, but not enough room for me." Those responses are not valid and that's exactly where the selfishness comes into play. It's not that she isn't giving him what he needs or he has more room for his friends than he does for you, it's the fact that you are out in the world looking at someone else with lustful eyes. That whole "what they don't know won't hurt 'em" reference is by far the most played out, ignorant put-on that I've come to hear.
The people who cheat and then try to justify it by putting the blame on the other person, are for one guilty and for two, were never actually committed in the first place. But instead of them having the decency to end the relationship, they decided to drag it on - Letting the other person began to grow true feelings for them, while they're out having relations with someone else. They want their cake, so they can eat it too to be frank.
As far as if you should forgive the person of their infidelity, or just move on to the next is completely up to you. If you feel that the two of you can work it out and continue to maintain a strong relationship - then good for you. But you should give an ultimatum. If they really want a relationship with you and they apologize for the mistake they made, it has to be a genuine well-kept promise that they'll never go back to those ways again. You have to hold them by that word. Like the saying "If a dog bites you once, shame on them - But if it bites you twice, shame on YOU." A heart and all of it's emotions are very sensitive areas and you don't want to put yourself back in a situation with someone who is only going to continuing parading around like a single man or single woman. That's when you need to realize you're better than that and yeah it might hurt a little bit to call things quits; but in the end you will leave with your dignity and respect - Knowing that you left a situation before you got deeply hurt by their ways. Makes sense, right?
19 years ago today the world of Rock & Grudge lost a legend; Kurt Cobain. Kurt was the lead singer, guitarist and main songwriter for the band Nirvana, who died at the young age of 27, due to an apparent suicide. I can't personally say that I was a fan of Kurt's or Nirvana's for that matter, so I won't sit up here and write a large article pretending to be. But I always get that saddened feeling of any life cut short, for any reason, so it only feels right for me to pay him some respects.
To the family & close friends of Mr. Cobain, I send my condolences and prayers - to the legions of Nirvana fans, I say Rock on, in his memory.
Halle Berry and fiancé Olivier Martinez are expecting a child together, sources have recently reported. Photos of Halle, Olivier and Halle's 5-year-old daughter Nahla Aubry ( whom she had with model Gabriel Aubry in 2008) surfaced showing the actress covering up her mid-section with either a towel or hiding it under more loose-fitting tops. The couple are expecting a boy - which will make Halle's second and Olivier's first. Congratulations to the two & here's to a blessed life & unforgettable experience!:
On September 13, 1996 the Hip-Hop world was violently shaken - when 2pac was tragically killed on the strip in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was only 25-years-old, but had put a lifetime of work, dedication and truth into music. Tupac had the power to draw listeners in from all corners of the world, by his presence. When you listen to his songs, you can feel the emotion behind them; no matter if he was in the mood to party, when he was sad, happy, frustrated or even somewhat undecided. He never censored himself, everything that he spoke of in his lyrics and even in his interviews was coming straight from the heart, it was real. The hardest of gangsters even harmonized with the MC because he was able to ' paint a perfect picture' as he himself said, of real life struggles. Brenda's Got A Baby, Keep Ya Head Up, Resist The Temptation, Unconditional Love, They Don't Give a F*ck About Us, Shed So Many Tears etc. are all perfect displays of 2pac's loyalty to his surroundings. He wanted to let anyone listening to his music know that just because he was on television doing interviews, making videos and money, that didn't mean that he forgot where he was from. He remained firmly planted in the struggle & the history of Our people til the very end. That type of faithfulness was more than deserving of total respect.
But not even five and a half months after the passing of Tupac - on March 9, 1997, we were hit even harder when Bed-Stuy born rapper The Notorious B.I.G was gunned down on the streets of Los Angeles, California eerily enough in the same exact manner as 2pac himself. The only difference is the fact that way before 2pac's murder, the MC had spoken and given visual to his own death with songs such as; If I Die 2nite, Shed So Many Tears, Life Goes On & I Ain't Mad At Cha. The Notorious B.I.G, however had talks of the future, not even seeing anything fatal coming his way, which made his murder at the age of 24, more of a shocking situation. But what was more heartbreaking about their deaths was the fact that they had once upon a time been very, very close friends. But the friendship soon faded out, after Tupac's ambush style shooting took place at Quad Studios in 1994 at the same place that B.I.G and members from his Junior M.A.F.I.A clique were recording, shortly after Lil Cease had invited 2pac upstairs to hang out. He would later go on to accuse both The B.I.G and Bad Boy CEO Sean "P. Diddy" Combs of having the whole thing set up, which lead to an investigation and a beef so heavy in Hip-Hop it caused rappers and fans alike to begin taking sides.
The East Coast vs. West Coast beef was born; with any rapper in the game situated in New York and the surrounding 'East' areas, baring teeth at any rapper in the game situated in California and the surrounding 'West Coast' areas. This ushered in the protest against 'Gangsta Rap' music which originated in Los Angeles & Compton, California with artists like - N.W.A, Ice-T, South Central Cartel, Young Murda Squad and others, but spread like wildfire. 2pac, Snoop Dogg and the Cali based record label Death Row were all in the midst of the West Coast and 2pac had absolutely no problem with making his affiliation to 'The Westside' known. While a lot of the feuding became highly played out in the media and with magazines like 'The Source' and others, it also was speculated to come from people in both rappers' entourages. People in B.I.G's ear getting him to be riled up to throw shots at 2pac, while people in 'Pac's circle were getting the already highly energized rapper to show even more aggression, adding fuel to the fire.
Whatever was most accurate about what made The East Coast vs. West Coast beef thrive, things couldn't of been made any better when 2pac dropped 'Hit Em Up' which has been considered the most wicked diss track in music history. In the song, 2pac throws cruel insults at a B.I.G look - a - like and then with even more confidence and boasting alleged he slept with R&B singer Faith Evans, who at the time was married to The Notorious B.I.G - Whether that accusation was really true or not, it caused the final ignition to the flame and afterwards, there was NO turning back. Even though 'Hit Em Up' was meant not just as a vicious bullying to B.I.G it was also considered a deadly invite into something that ended up being much bigger than Hip-Hop itself. Biggie never personally responded with a diss track of his own, though a lot of people speculated that his anthem 'Who Shot Ya?' was his response, in which many people speculated the lyrics suggested that Biggie either knew more, or was involved somehow with the shooting in the very beginning. But in every interview he denied any involvement and instead seized the camera time to try and diffuse the set bomb and reflect on the friendship he had once shared with 'Pac. But it was already too late.
With all genuineness, I don't believe that The B.I.G had any involvement with the Quad Studios shooting, but that's just personal opinion. As far as the 'Who Shot Ya?' track is concerned, B.I.G himself stated the track had been written several months before the shooting even took place. But of course, at an inflamed time like it was, who really believed him? Almost anyone who followed 2pac as an artist and who was a dedicated fan, believed in their hearts that B.I.G and P. Diddy were responsible for his shooting, while of course there were some who like B.I.G himself, wanted to reflect more on the friendship they had and keep hope alive that it would soon be fixed. Shortly before 2pac's death, he had at one point spoke of doing an East Coast / West Coast truce album, which was rumored to feature The Notorious B.I.G after 2pac was quoted as saying "All East Coast rappers will be put on the album." Unfortunately the truce album never came to be, but what the feud did manage to bring to the industry was a realization of how important and much needed love and unity is to the game. And that a person can only be pushed so far, before they go over the ledge.
I feel that this feud could of definitely been prevented and it's sad that it had to end up with two of the greatest storytellers in music leaving way too soon. Reluctantly, we are still able to cherish their music, the thing that made these two so timeless in the first place. They have been frozen in time, in their youth, in what is considered the glory years of Hip-Hop. When there were no gimmicks, no publicity stunts - It was just the artist and the microphone.
R&B singer Chris Brown and the rapper Drake, have been at each others' necks since last year, after the two partied it up at the same New York nightclub. What began as a casual night out on the scene, ended with bottles being thrown and a couple people being seriously injured. Brown posted a photo to his instagram shortly after the incident, which showed a gash on the bottom left side of his chin. Pictures surfaced, showing the atrocity inside of the area where the two had been and speculation began to arise that the fight had been ignited by their visible swooning over Pop singer Rihanna. The first version of the incident, placed Drake as the instigator - having a bottle of wine sent over to Chris and his entourage with the taunting message 'How does it feel knowing I'm f*cking the love of your life?' Another version of the incident, placed rapper Meek Mill in the center of it as an instigator, prompting Drake to send the bottle of wine to Chris and his crew. The last version, was as stated above - simply over the love of Rihanna with it being said that not long after her and Chris split due to that fateful 2009 Grammy mess, Drake had been seen getting mighty cozy to the Barbadan beauty on several occasions.
Whichever version of the story is more accurate, do you think that this 'feud' is really justified? As opposed to more major feuds in the world of Hip-Hop like the fatality of the East Coast vs. West Coast beef, where legendary MC's Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G were murdered; or the rivalry between former bad mates Eazy-E and Dr. Dre, I don't feel this rivalry really has a lot of substance to it. Nothing more, than a mere phase. When you one of this generation's biggest R&B crooner, boxed in next to one of this generation's most successful mainstream artists, there is going to be a lot of tension. Two very big egos, two very eerily similar lethal doses of pride and neither one of them at this very moment in their careers are reluctant to let up. Even though, I can't help but admit it would be much more beneficial if the two would squash the pettiness and call a truce - when you're young and both climbing to the very top of the game, you become blind to any - & every - thing else and only see YOURSELF as #1.
Will the two ever meet steady grounds? Who knows? - But this to me just seems more juvenile than justified. Disagree with me, it's alright. Everyone is entitled to their opinions.
Kendrick Lamar, in my opinion, is Hip-Hop and Soul. His music is reminiscent of Outkast in their earlier days ( with tunes like; Mainstream, Behold A Lady, Roses etc), Common in his thriving years to becoming a legendary Hip-Hop poet. The song 'Poetic Justice' which has been released from his highly anticipated debut studio album Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, is yet another look into the over creative mind of this young MC. The song features a verse from rapper Drake and has been on replay in my personal music catalog since it was first put on the airwaves.
Take a look see and a listen of the video above, you won't be disappointed.
It seems like "King Bey" has struck a nerve with people in ( and out) of the music industry with her new 'hood banger' Bow Down ( I Been On). The song is a deliberately clear message to her haters, instigators and speculators - In the hook she menacingly belts out "I know when you were little girls / You dreamt of being in my world / Don't forget it, don't forget it / Respect that / Bow down, bitches." Then she adds more fuel to the fire when she pops off in the hook with the words " I took some time / To live my life / But don't think I'm just his little wife / Don't get it twisted, get it twisted / This my shit / Bow down bitches." Shortly after the release of Bow Down, the internet went into a divided frenzy, some people praising Beyonce for her more aggressive, confident persona, while others feel with her level of success the song was more than unnecessary.
Not only were people divided between the song, but some even felt the song was directed towards them in general - One person being Keyshia Cole. Keyshia has already received a lot of backlash for her twitter rant, in where she dissed former Destiny's Child member Michelle Williams, shortly after the trio reunited during The Superbowl this year. After Bow Down hit the internet, Keyshia wasted no time in shooting out a couple of tweets in response to the song: "First 'women need to stick together' now bitches better Bow. SMH. But it's all G! Chicks stay shootin' the shit." Her second tweet read: "Can't stand when people all self righteous when it's convenient to make them look good. Lmao! But can still talk shit when convenient 2. FOH." There were some Beyonce fans, who actually agreed with the singer, but of course the most loyal of them seized the opportunity to attack Cole on her twitter page.
My personal take after hearing the song is, this is definitely NOT Bey's best work. When she has other songs like her classic Me, Myself & I, Crazy In Love, Deja Vu, Irreplaceable etc. Bow Down, seems noticeably out of place in her collection. I actually have to agree with Ms. Cole and even the latter Brandy, who commented "I like Beyonce, but not the song." It just feels as if the starlet is trying a little too hard to prove herself. But why? I'm baffled by it myself. With as many Billboard #1 songs and success that she has, she's already on top of the game. She's way too classy and way too accomplished to be making low-fi Nicki Minaj 'Beez In The Trap' style anthems. Hopefully, by the time her anticipated album is released, the other songs will be back in place.
