Source: necolebitchie.com

So I just read that Oprah Winfrey is doing another Oprah Presents The Next Chapter special in which she will sit down with the Kardashian-Jenner family, including Lamar Odom and Scott Disick, for an interview about…well…why are the Kardashians famous again?

Oh I forgot, sex tape, then reality shows and then Kanye West. Got it.

Anyway, this interview is on the heels of another sit down she did last week with 50 Cent, who once was in a very public, and pretty much one-sided, beef with the former queen of daytime talk. Yeah, that 50 Cent, who maliciously dogged Vivica A. Fox publicly and once paid another rapper’s baby mother to make a sex tape as revenge. The same rapper that regularly calls women b*****s and ho*s and named his female dog Oprah. Yet and still he got to sit on a plush sofa and pontificate about his “next chapter” with his former nemesis. I smell desperation. And it sure is funky.

Some of y’all may think I’m being too harsh on Oprah.  After all, it is not easy building a brand and a network from the ground up. But truth be told, Oprah has always been a shero of mine since way back when she was rocking the Patti LaBelle-hair and the dresses with the extra prominent shoulder pads. I can honestly say that I consider Oprah one of my close girlfriends – in my head of course. Therefore as a good girlfriend, I’m going to tell you and her the truth: Stop interviewing people and get some damn TV shows.  I know that your claim to fame has always been your ability to get exclusive interviews and get the famous and infamous to open up about their lives, but no one is trying to watch that for 24 hours straight.  It’s like you took that one trick pony and beat it until it was a dead horse. Time to diversifying the lineup and actually put forward some scripted or non-scripted programming. Programming that doesn’t have the words “Oprah Presents…” or “Master Class…” or “Life Lessons…” in the titles – because if I wanted to be educated and inspired, I’d turn off the television and go read a book.

SO in an effort to keep you from scraping the bottom of the celebrity barrel again for interviews in the future, I have five programming suggestions, which I feel could go a long way not only in raising the ratings on your fledgling network but in an effort to keep people tuned in:

Source: Necolebitchie.com

Rihanna keeps on proving Twitter isn’t the only place she will get crunk when someone tries to come for her head. It was only a little over a month ago that she shut down a reporter in London when they took the focus off of her “Battleship” premiere and placed it on her rumored relationship with Ashton Kutcher. Apparently Esquire UK didn’t get the memo because when they tried to bring up C. Breezy and that “Birthday Cake” remix from way back when for the magazine’s June issue, the interview went from bad to worse to this is probably the last time she’ll ever talk to Esquire again. Here’s the transcript from Necole Bitchie so you can see the gradual progression of ann0yance:

Esquire: What has been the Twitter response to the Chris Brown remixes?

Rihanna: Some love it, some hate it, some love it but hate that we did it. But the response in the end has been incredible.

Esquire: Was that [the recording session] the first time you’d seen him in a while?

Rihanna: When would we have seen each other? We’ve both been working and touring. [changes the subject]. This is really good food.

Esquire: It proved quite a controversial thing.

Rihanna: Well…definitely. Definitely. It caught me a little off-guard to be honest…especially the amount of…negative attention. Because it never occurred to me how this was a problem, you know. It really didn’t.

Esquire: Because enough time had passed that it was OK?

Rihanna: I thought people were gonna be surprised that we finally did a record together, but I didn’t see how people could think it was a bad thing, you know? In my mind, it was just music.

Esquire: Some people felt it sent the wrong message.

Rihanna: [Angrily] What was that? What message would that be?

Esquire: You’d gone back to someone who put you in the hospital.

Rihanna: [Getting angry] Oh really? Did I?

Esquire: Well… yes.

Rihanna: Did I? Did I? Did I?

Esquire: You went and recorded with him, yes.

Rihanna: Okay. In a completely professional environment. And on a complete professional note. I mean, if I went back to him [as a girlfriend], then that’s a whole different discussion. And if I ever do, then that’s something that y’all have to talk to me about when – if – that ever happens. Until then, look at it for what it is. I think a lot of people jumped to an assumption that was incorrect and they ended up looking stupid.

Esquire: The assumption you were dating again?

Rihanna: Because of a song. How stupid. If I was together with every collaborator I worked with… f-ck my life.

Esquire: Still, the lyrics didn’t do much to dispel that impression. His opening line is “Girl I want to Fawk you right now/been a long time/I’ve been missing your body”. You reply: “Remember how you did it/If you still want to kiss it/Then come and get it”.

Rihanna: That was the tone before he was even on the record. You think it was going to be about hopscotch or jump rope?

Esquire: So neither of you for a minute thought “This is going to put the cat among the pigeons”?

Rihanna: I could never see anything wrong with making music.

Esquire: Maybe the thing is that as an artist your personal and private life are intertwined, and you’ve already played on this. The first song you put out after the beating incident was “Love the Way You Lie”, about domestic violence.

Rihanna: Absolutely. But Love The Way You Live was me as an artist working with Eminem as an artist, telling our stories individually. On a track together. I’m lost. I’m confused as to what you’re trying to get at.

Esquire: That it’s hard to separate the person who’s been the victim of domestic violence and the pop star singing about domestic violence.

Rihanna: I know. And that’s how f-cked up society is. There’s a lot of sh-t y’all can’t get over. Y’all holding your breath on a lot of stuff that doesn’t matter. When you realize who you live for, and who’s important to please, a lot of people will actually start living. I am never going to get caught up in that. I’m gonna look back on my life and say that I enjoyed it – and I lived it for me- and God. This is turning into a tacky interview. What do you really want to talk about? I’m not here to [talk] about messy sh-t.

Esquire: It’s just what’s been making the headlines recently.

Rihanna: OK! So do you want to talk about everything on Google? Or do you want to talk about stuff that my fans want to know? Let’s get to the real stuff. The stuff that’s important.

Esquire: What do your fans want to know?

Rihanna: You tell me, as a journalist. You’re asking the questions and I give you the answers. I can’t give the questions too.

Esquire: I’m sorry it’s upset you.

Rihanna: It hasn’t upset me. It upsets me that you keep asking the same kind of questions about stuff that’s trivial. What’s there to talk about? Are all your questions like that? Let’s move onto the next one.

Esquire: It’s just that you haven’t given an interview for a while. A lot has happened.

Rihanna: You think I haven’t given an interview for a while? I did four this morning.

Esquire: Did they go any better than this?

Rihanna: We’ll see [when they come out] tomorrow

That last line was classic but I have mixed feelings on this. I’m sure she’s tired of talking about Chris but there’s no way she thought she was just going to put a song out with him and no one was going to ask her about it. In fact I’m pretty sure that’s why she did it, so she can save that “he’s the hottest artist out right now” line for someone else. On the other hand, her comebacks are to die for and made this interview far more entertaining than it would have been otherwise. That girl has a serious mouth on her.

Who do you think crossed the line here, Rihanna or the reporter?

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MEET Taja Lindley, the founder of the organization, Colored Girls Hustle. At 27 years old, Lindley is not just the founder of her own organization, but a well-rounded Brooklyn-bred African-American female who practices as a visual artist, performer, full-spectrum doula and as a reproductive justice activist. Combining her many passions and talents into one, Lindley uses Colored Girls Hustle as her own ultimate “hustle,” emphasizing talent and the arts to celebrate the beauty and art of women of color.

MN: You just recently co-hosted an event, along with HelloBeautiful, where you launched your inaugural handmade accessories line, Luminary Sol, for Colored Girls Hustle. What brought on this collaboration?

TL: Kelly Thomas, the founder of HelloBeautiful, is a good friend and fellow entrepreneurial artist who I respect and adore. We decided to support one another and publicize our venture through a collaborative event called the “Beautiful Hustle” Sip and See Extravaganza. The event featured a fashion show, trunk sale, and live percussion, and a dance party followed. It was a success! So many of our friends and supporters came out to buy products, network and brought positive energy and feedback to share with us. The launch event was so much fun and we decided to host monthly “Beautiful Hustle” parties this summer.

MN: Tell us more about your organization, Colored Girls Hustle, and what type of service you focus on.

TL: Colored Girls Hustle is my hustle: it’s a space where I share my art and creativity to honor, celebrate and adorn the bodies and lives of women and girls, especially in communities of color. I focus on three main expressive elements:

Adornment: a daily meditation, adornment is a practice of decorating and praising our bodies. Colored Girls Hustle produces handmade accessories to inspire women and girls to admire and revere themselves.

Workshops: in groups large and small, Colored Girls Hustle facilitates creative arts workshops and trainings for youth and adults that cover topics of body exploration, health and wellness, and self-image. Colored Girls Hustle also offers Self-Love Parties: intimate, sex-positive gatherings where participants work on a creative project that will celebrate/honor/adorn their bodies and affirm their sexual expression.

One-on-One Creative Exploration Sessions: Colored Girls Hustle works with women and girls one-on-one to explore their own creative arts practice. Engaging in these sessions help women and girls discover their artistic interests and talents, or can help them navigate healing and transformation.

Source: Vibe

For the June and July issue of Vibe, the good folks at the magazine made the random decision to have four very controversial reality stars on their cover: Evelyn Lozada, Tamar Braxton, Chrissy Lampkin, and Kandi Burruss. With the hilarious header, “Meet Your New Role Models,” (sarcasm with a twinge of painful reality in their voice) the ladies, dressed in very little, smile for the cover of the “Swexy issue.”

While the cover and images might have the men smirking and smiling, the interview was allegedly meant to allow the women to explain their less than ladylike behavior on television. Inside the magazine, the ladies were asked about everything from Star Jones and the “Basketball Wives” petition, to show producers orchestrating the violence and drama. Check the highlights:

When asked about Star Jones and the petition to get “Basketball Wives” off of the air:

Evelyn: [Bursts into laughter] I think she’s going to have to get a whole lot of names. Actually, I like the petition and I like the controversy because I’ve learned controversy is good. But I think she’s irrelevant. And she’s using our coattails to get relevant again. Nobody gives a f**k about her.

Chrissy: Whatever Star Jones is feeling is a little deeper than what she sees. I think she has her own issues.

Kandi: She may not be violent, but I’m sure she goes off on people in her day-to-day. I just don’t think it’s fair to block somebody from getting money.

 

On the misconceptions about Evelyn and how they’re disappointed the positive aspects of their lives don’t get shown:

Evelyn: Yeah, I happen to be throwing a few things. It’s frustrating because, on the other hand, I’ve also done positive things like charities with kids. It’s unfortunate because those things don’t seem to mean anything.

Chrissy: It bothers me [too] because it’s not all of who I am. It’s a part of who I am. It’s also something that I’m working on because who am I to put my hands on somebody else?

Tamar: I just wanna address the biggest misconception with Evelyn. She’s not just beautiful on the outside; she’s a beautiful soul. I believe that people who want to make a difference in our community should be shown [doing so]. Sometimes, with our shows, you only see that [negative] side, but Evelyn will give you the shirt off of her back.

Evelyn: It’s tough because if we were only doing positive things, people wouldn’t want us. But if I say, “Tamar, you’re a stupid f*****g b***h,” people love that.

Kandi: That’s because we’re a real life soap opera. You know how your family watched All My Children for 20 years? That’s what we are now.

 

On producers being the instigators of the violence you see:

VIBE: So you’re saying the producers orchestrated the violence?

Chrissy: Absolutely. They would go as far as telling the new girl, “Chrissy thinks she’s Queen Bee around here so we need you to step up because nobody here has a strong enough personality. We need you to shut it down.” They were feeding people this negative energy from the door. I have no reason to lie.

Kandi: If [the producers] know this person and that person don’t get along, they’ll be like, “Okay, we want you guys to go to lunch.” They know if they have a conversation about what’s going on, something’s gonna jump off. But nobody can make you physically punch somebody in the face. We end up doing that to ourselves from people being real disrespectful in the way they’re speaking to each other, pointing fingers all in people’s faces. Some people just can’t take that.

On regretting their actions AFTER the fact of course…

Chrissy: Absolutely. It’s like, why did I let them get me that angry? It’s compromising to your soul because I didn’t sign up for this, but I’ll be damned if I’m gonna allow somebody to make a fool of me because the cameras are rolling.

Evelyn: I do and [the bottle incident] was one of those things where I was like, “That was wrong.” The producers of the show could have edited that out but I take full responsibility. I mean, [Kenya] has kids at home.

And the big question: Does Evelyn’s daughter watch the show? And if so, what are her thoughts?

Evelyn: Yes, but if you know my daughter, you’ll know she doesn’t care about any of that. She’s very independent. She knows who mom is. And to her, mom is a character on a television show. [My daughter] knows that side of me because she’s seen both sides. The world hasn’t. But I take full responsibility for everything that I’ve done. It’s all me.

Tamar: This is what I’m saying—it’s not negative, because she learned from it. The beautiful part about it is that somebody can watch it and not make the same mistake. ’Cause sometimes when I watch Kandi, I wish I could be more like her. You’re never like, “Pop, pop, pop!”

Kandi: It takes a lot not to. The reason why I can be [so drama-free] on my show is that I wasn’t friends with [my castmates] before I got on the show. So anything they said didn’t matter to me. Tamar, you’re around your family, so you care.

Tamar: I mean, this is me, but if you family—cousin, brother, mother—you come at me crazy and I’m gon’ jump at you crazy.

 

Well all right. Not really sure what they were trying to do here, but it doesn’t give me an “ahaaaaa” moment or make me want to hug these women. In the end, after reading things over, they seem to want the controversy for the sake of getting paid, and want us to know, that hey, it is what it is. This is who they are and they’re indeed human. While it’s nice that they try to take responsibility for their own actions to an extent, they really don’t, because they turn around and say it’s the producers creating the drama. They probably are stewing the pot behind the scenes, but they’re not the ones forcing folks to fling bottles at people, stomp each other down in hotel rooms (over OTHER people’s business), and to be “popolicious” all the damn time. But I digress.

To read the interview in full, pick up the new June/July issue of Vibe, or you can go to their site and read the rest of what these chickenheads ladies had to say.

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• This Right Here’s a Panty Dropper: D’Angelo Looks Delicious in GQ

*Waits for the bandwagon fans to start running back*

If you ever doubted that D’Angelo would get back into tip-top shape, both musically and physically, kick yourself. In his first real magazine spread since he last did press for the Voodoo album, D’Angelo is looking as he should: a little older, but a lot of fine. Despite the shocking mugshots we were exposed to after his run-ins with the law over the last few years (my corneas still burn), these few images today of the man behind the neo-soul music we bumped so hard are definitely pleasing to the eye. Thanks GQ!

The singer gets all suit and tie fresh on us for the shoot, and even gives us a bit of that wonderful gaze (and those lips!) that we like to see. I could do without the cigarette in the first shot, but it’s not something I would kick him out of the bed for (as long as he didn’t bring the cigarette into the bed…). As you can tell, I’m glad he’s looking delicious, but I’m more glad to hear the new music he plans to drop soon. His few features on songs with folks like Common and Q-Tip, as well as his own song “I Found My Smile Again” during his reclusive period were nice, but I need an album, boo! Until we can get that in stores, don’t forget that D will be a headliner at this year’s Essence Fest, so you’ll have a chance to see this brown sugar in real time and jam like it’s 1995 again. Pick up the June issue of GQ to get your fix of this beautiful man, and find out what he has to say about the music industry, and how the “Untitled (How Does It Feel?)” video hurt him as a musician. Here’s a quick excerpt courtesy of the illustrious men’s magazine that is GQ:

“One time I got mad when a female threw money at me onstage, and that made me feel like f-cked-up, and I threw the money back at her. I was like, ‘I’m not a stripper.’”

On the last day of the eight-month tour, Questlove says D’Angelo told him, “Yo, man, I cannot wait until this f-cking tour is over. I’m going to go in the woods, drink some hooch, grow a beard, and get fat.” Questlove thought he was joking. “I was like, ‘You’re a funny guy.’ And then it started to happen.That’s how much he wanted to distance himself.”

Source: Gregory Harris/GQ

Source: Gregory Harris/GQ

What do you think of D’Angelo’s look? Still got it or no thanks?

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Source: celebritybrideguide.com

In an interview with the magazine Gala, Jada Pinkett Smith finally opened up about all those rumors swirling around that she and Will Smith’s relationship is on the rocks. Rumors were flying that she had picked up a divorce lawyer, was cheating with Marc Anthony (who was a guest star on her now-canceled show, “HawthoRNe”), and that Will even walked in on the two getting it in (and allegedly ran away crying). Even the kids had to go in on a few people through Twitter over the rumors. Though they had their reps speak on the alleged split last year, Jada wanted the world to know in her interview, from her own mouth, that she ain’t going anywhere anytime soon:

“Every year, one celebrity couple is under the microscope. This year, unluckily, it’s us! I almost want to say that we should have been expecting it. Will and I know the truth. We’re waiting peacefully for the storm to blow over.”

“These rumors are completely untrue. I travel a lot because of my work, just like Will does… But our lifestyle hasn’t changed. Before we had the kids, we were already far away from each other quite often because of separate projects.”

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Source: Oprah.com

Neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman has completely disappeared in wake of the outrage over him shooting and killing Trayvon Martin, but if there’s anyone who might be able to get him to talk, it’s Oprah.

Oprah is known for landing exclusive interviews, the most recent of which was her talk with Bobbi Kristina, and the media mogul let it be known that she’d love to have a little chat with George Zimmerman. Tonight, Extra will air the first of a two-part interview with Oprah, talking about canceling the Rosie O’Donnell show and her interview with Bobbi, but she’ll also share her thoughts on the Trayvon Martin case. Here’s a bit of what she has to say:

“It is a tragedy and it is a shame that we’re sitting here 33 days later and there hasn’t been an arrest, or questioning of what actually happened. It’s a tragedy and it is a shame and we all know it.

“I saw some people on Twitter saying nothing has changed, the same thing’s going on. Lots has changed and you know why? Because black people, white people, brown, yellow people all over this country and all over the world are saying the same thing… it’s a tragedy and it’s a shame and justice needs to be served.”

When AJ asked who’s at the top of her interview list, she said, “Mr. Zimmerman, I would love to talk to him.”

I’m almost certain George’s lawyers would absolutely not advise him to talk to Oprah, but if she somehow managed to land this, OWN’s ratings would definitely shoot through the roof.

People always joke that Oprah can do anything, do you think she’ll have a chance to interview George Zimmerman?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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If you’re in the market for a new job, job fairs are one of the most efficient ways to go about it. Several employers who are actively hiring all meet in one place to talk to candidates and the connections you can make while at these events can set you up better than you ever imagined. It’s a great way to kill several birds with one stone and to get several weeks of a job search done in one afternoon. But job fairs can be tricky, too. With a few tips, you can make your next job fair a success.

Before You Go
Preparation is everything. Check out the description of the job fair and identify the potential employers you’d like to see most. This will give you a guide during your day. Plan to wear something that looks professional but is appropriate for your field. Dress the way you would if you got the job and you had an important meeting at work that day. And remember that old rule: if you could wear it to the club, you probably shouldn’t wear it to a job fair.

Take a look at your resume and freshen it up if necessary. Make several copies of your resume because you are going to give it out the entire time you’re at the job fair. Make sure that your references are still on board to offer their endorsements for you. Bring your identification, too, because plenty of companies at job fairs are looking to hire right away.

During the Job Fair
Show up to the job fair on time because many close the doors 10 or 15 minutes after start time. Relax when you get inside. Remember that you’re basically on a speed date session with several different companies. It’s not much different than other types of interviews, but all eyes are on you the entire time you’re there and you have limited time to make a good impression. Keep your professional demeanor the entire time you’re at the fair because you have no idea who will see or hear you.

Remember those companies you picked out before you came? Work your way through them, making sure that you work your way up to your top pick. This gives you a chance to work out the kinks in your interviews. Take a business card from every single person you talk to because it will help you make contact afterwards. You should also try to speak with representatives of businesses you might not have considered initially. You never know who you can and will make a connection with and if that connection will lead you to a job.

After It’s Over
Wait two days after the job fair is over to follow up with your contacts. You can either send them a nice thank you email for their time, or a card in the mail if you have their address. Remember that these guys met tons of people at the event. Therefore, it’s essential to make sure that you mention the date of the job fair and add something specific about your interaction to help them remember you. Keep in touch with them so that they can keep you in mind for opportunities, but don’t hound them, nor should you contact them once and expect some sort of hookup or handout.

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It’s only been a few hours since Brian White’s interview on black women and stereotypes went viral and Nene Leakes has already put in her two cents on the matter. Although I’m pretty sure Nene’s name was just the first to pop in Brian’s head—for obvious reasons—when he spoke about black women on reality TV, you know the real housewife had to make sure she got the last word. On Twitter of course.

Here’s what she wrote:

Housewives of the A & Hip Hop wives r 2 very different shows! I dont recall seeing fist fights on our show! I however do watch their show

Actors feel some type of way when Reality Stars work n their field! I started out actin first! I didn’t make the rules I just play by them

Funny how actors get mad when u get an gig as if the castin director was lookin 4 them! If they were lookin 4 u, they would hav called u

RT @Peachz31: @NeNeLeakes just hating bc he in a play n ur actually playing a role on hit show “GLEE”<Right

I’m pretty sure Brian is a little tight about being a so-so actor while reality TV stars are being handed roles on a platter. Since this isn’t his first time being in hot water with black women—check his 2010 marriage to Paula Da Silva—I’m sure he’s letting the heat roll off his back.

Do you think Brian might be a little jealous—in addition to all of his other issues?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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When you read the responses from Brian White in his recent interview with Shamika Sanders of Hello Beautiful, you’re either going to feel like he’s dropping knowledge, or he’s dropping hate. I’ll let you decide.

Brian sat down to talk about his role in the new project, “What My Husband Doesn’t Know,” and being that he is an actor and has worked with Tyler Perry, he was asked why he thinks people are so hard on him, particularly Spike Lee—and that’s when he decided to go in on black women:

“Because Tyler holds a mirror up to people. Stereotypes are not stereotypes today. The most popular character [in Why Did I Get Married], is not the one that Tyler picked as the most popular, it’s Tasha! You have Janet Jackson and Jill Scott; my point is Jill Scott and Janet are huge music stars with huge fan bases, Tasha became the most popular because her character is portrayed the most like “Love & Hip Hop” the most like, “Desperate Housewives of Atlanta,” you might as well switch it around and pop in Nene [Leakes]. [Tasha Smith] is brilliant, she’s nothing like the character, she’s just portraying what she sees in society, magnified.[sic]

“And people get mad and say that’s not us. Yes it is, turn on “Love & Hip Hop” and turn on “Desperate Housewives Of Atlanta” those are “reality shows.” You can’t call something reality then get mad when it shows up in the movies as reality but that’s what we’re doing. That’s where the cycle continues. They don’t do that in Africa, they don’t do that in France; they don’t connect with that message. What’s interesting is we, here, in America connect with that message and get upset at it.  That’s what Tyler sees. If you look at Spike, what is his most successful movie ever? successful defined by how much money it made versus how much it cost to make. “Inside Man” and the stars were Clive Owens, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Denzel Washington and Jodi Foster… Four huge actors, two white, one known–Denzel and then another amazing British actor people don’t know here. That is not the type of film that Spike necessarily wants to focus on, right? So what makes money isn’t what Spike makes, so it’s upsetting and frustrating–I would assume. But, what Tyler makes, does make money…$500 million worth of money.”

He’s got a point about about what images we connect with and where we spend our dollars, but he’s alittle off on the next point when he’s asked whether he thinks Tyler Perry only depicts black people in a negative light.

“You can’t call it a stereotype if it’s the majority. The most prevalent image in ‘urban society’ right now is women like Nene [Leaks]. If there’s a fight that breaks out on “Love & Hip Hop” those people are one every blog, the cover of every magazine the next week. It’s not Taraji or Gabrielle, it’s whoever just got into a fist fight. Tyler’s not stereotyping, he’s holding up a mirror and people are mad at him because people don’t want to look at that image in that way.[sic]

“When we use the term here in America, and say ‘black movies,’ that has no reference for the rest of the world. Look at “Luther,” Idris just won a Golden Globe for “Luther,” that is NOT a black show, it’s a British show. British don’t see color they see quality. People who watch BBC don’t go, ‘oo’ there’s that black show, nah. Most African Americans were not even aware of Luther because it’s not a stereotypically urban themed show. Once we in America start focusing on quality first and telling human stories that connect with everybody that might want to watch it, the problems will solve themselves.”

Pressed again about whether he really thinks Nene is a fair representation of the majority of black women, he said this:

“I have five sisters and two moms, none of them are like that! To me, I can say I’m offended if they want to represent that and don’t want to represent my mom, but my mom represents Phylicia Rashād and has been represented on TV all my life. I can’t say that. I don’t watch “Real Housewives,” I’ve never seen an episode of “Love & Hop Hop” I’m not supporting it, I’m not giving it ratings. I’m not making the stereotype exist on TV. You’ve watched it, you’ve added to why it’s on TV.

If you look at Hip Hop, the rappers and their girlfriends, their reality shows look just like “Love & Hip Hop” and “Housewives,” some of them are even on those shows… so we’re taking the line between what’s real and what’s on TV and its all blurred but it looks exactly the same as what’s in Tyler’s movies. That’s not what I see when I go on Rowland Martins show or having this conversation with you, we are not the majority. Look at the statistics in education, only our community not all blacks African Americans we perform the worst along with Mexicans. The rest of the blacks in the world are like second and third. There’s no correlation with race, it’s our culture.”

At least he backs up what he says by not supporting shows he doesn’t approve of, and you can’t knock the brother’s passion, but I think Brian is absolving Tyler of any obligation to show new images of black people. It’s not fair for that responsibility to rest totally on Tyler but if he says the depictions on reality TV aren’t OK and Tyler flips that and puts it in movie form, then that can’t be OK either. Everyone from the creators down to the viewers has to be accountable. Also, I urge him to really find new statistics on what black women are doing from the classroom to the boardroom. What’s the majority in terms of depiction doesn’t mean it’s the true reality.

What do you think about Brian’s mouthful? Is he on point or is his opinion on portrayals of black women a little skewed?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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