Black Man Black Woman

Tag: truth

  • Rihanna and Chris Brown: The Financial Value of Rihanna’s Pain

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    I hated what Chris Brown did to Rihanna. I was angered, disappointed and irritated by the fact that many are quick to forgive egregious behavior on the part of celebrities, and a hit song can forgive all sins. At the same time, celebs are just like the rest of us, full of complexities that the world may never come to understand. Rihanna has walked away from Chris and she is now telling the entire world how bad of a man he is, and we’re all taking her side.

    The problem for Rihanna, however, is that her actions aren’t making much sense.

    Rihanna’s recent whirlwind media tour has included the likes of ABC News, MTV and other major media outlets. Throughout this tour, she has allowed the world to enter into her dark reflection on the relationship she had with Chris Brown, with that reflection seeming to have almost no productive purpose. I am not sure why the he-say/she-say between two 19-year old kids should be the concern of the nation. But then again, I am sitting here writing about it, so I am as guilty as everyone else.

    The truth is, clearly, that Rihanna could have used this incident as a teachable moment and then moved on with her life. But that wouldn’t be nearly as profitable as doing a media tour attacking Chris.

    The point here is clear and quick:

    A personal tragedy is usually leveraged in order to sell a book or album: Did you notice how tennis star Andre Agassi revealed his drug addiction when his book was released? What about when Mackenzie Phillips announced that her father, well-known performer John Phillips, molested her as a child? Stories like this are a great way to get people to read your book or buy your records. Notice that it took Rihanna several months to start talking about Chris Brown in public. That was probably because she had to finish up her tracks. By the way – her album is scheduled for release in a few days. The Chris Brown story will be the primary driver of her album sales.

    Now, I am a Finance Professor and a capitalist. Well, I am mostly capitalist, to a point. I can understand why Rihanna’s handlers are milking the cow till the udders fall off. The story is interesting and like hungry kids in a candy store, we are salivating to find out more about what happened. But the truth is that we only know most of what occurred, not everything: All we really know is that they got into a fight and Chris won. But we also know that Chris lost the war because he is the one who got arrested. Is there anything else we need to know? Is there anything new that Rihanna is telling us other than vague and “clearly objective”(LOL) things like “his eyes had no soul.” What the heck does that mean anyway?

    While we can respect Rihanna’s decision to use this situation as a chance to build her brand (similar to when Juanita Bynum was allegedly beaten by her husband and then declared herself to be “the face of domestic violence”), the truth is that we probably shouldn’t fall for the hype. We should realize that this was an unfortunate situation,with many lessons to be learned about domestic violence in the black community. Rihanna will sell her records, and Chris will have to rebuild his own brand. But at the end of the day, this media whirlwind created by Rihanna is, for the most part, an opportunity to not only punch back at Chris, but a chance to make a little dough in the process.

    As the rapper TI might say, “It is what it is.”

    Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Professor at Syracuse University and author of the book, “Black American Money.” To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.

     

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  • NBA Star Antoine Walker is Broke: Five Lessons We can Learn

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    When I went to The University of Kentucky with Antoine Walker during the 1990s, we all knew he was going to be a star. He was headed for great things and would represent his family well. No one would have guessed that he would one day become the poster child for what NOT to do when you earn $110 million dollars.

    Antoine is busted, or as my friends would say, “broker than the 10 commandments.” He was recently arrested for not paying $800,000 in gambling debts he owed to a Vegas casino, and that’s when the financial roaches started coming out of the closet.

    In the midst of Antoine’s situation, we can all learn lessons. I thought I’d lay out a few for us to consider:

    1) Watch who you allow to handle your dough. It might sound good to say that you have an accountant, but the truth is that you are always vulnerable when someone is doing things with your money that you do not understand. Additionally, allowing friends and relatives to have access to your financial accounts is a very bad idea. While I have major issues with Bill Cosby, I was always impressed by the fact that he takes care of his own money. Also, one of the sad realities of NBA athletes is that most of them were not properly educated during college, given wimpy little majors that didn’t interfere with their athletics schedules, so some of them are unprepared to protect the wealth they work so hard to earn. Get an education- you’re going to need it.

    2) Don’t judge Antoine Walker harshly, this can happen to anyone. Going broke or going to jail is not just something that happens to bad or irresponsible people. The same is true for a gambling addiction. While we are tempted to attack Antoine Walker for his situation, the truth of the matter is that gambling problems impact hundreds of thousands of people every year: Campuses are being overrun by TV poker challenges and other seemingly harmless, yet financially devastating temptations. If you don’t yet have a gambling problem, be careful not to start one. That’s an easy way to go broke.

    3) Stay away from the vices: Drugs, gambling or other costly addictions have led to the financial downfall of many people. In addition to gambling, other vices such as drugs or alcohol can accelerate your path to the poor house. What’s worse is that the temptation to engage in these activities is greater when you have more money to burn. NBA and NFL stars are still quite young, and the idea of giving a 22-year old $10 million dollars a year is a scary thing. Even I would have made terrible mistakes if I’d received that much money so early in life. If you are in a relationship with someone who regularly engages in any of these bad habits, you might want to reconsider that relationship. It can cause you a great deal of trouble later on down the road.

    4) Show your love, but put a cap on it: Antoine Walker has shown himself to be a generous man, giving to children and taking care of relatives. The problem is that it’s difficult for anyone to be a one-man welfare machine. I only call it welfare when someone is asking for something for nothing. I find that it is more productive to ask for something before you give something away; put the relative to work on productive activities that will help save you money. It will make both of you feel better in the end. Also, budget your charity to ensure that you don’t go overboard in your giving. Typically, those who are asking you for money today won’t be anywhere around when you are having financial problems.

    5) Watch how hard you bling: While “blinging” and “balling” might be incredibly tempting, you should limit the number of status symbols you acquire in order to show your wealth. Antoine Walker has always loved to “do it big,” renting limos for every occasion and not wearing the same suit twice during the playoffs. While he gets a lot of points in style, the truth is that such financial extravagance is not only financially draining, it also makes you a big target. Years ago, when Antoine was robbed of several thousand dollars during a trip to Chicago (and again later at his home in Miami), we can probably assume that the robbers knew they were coming after a wealthy victim.

    I am not here to attack Antoine Walker. Instead, my goal is to make his challenges into a true teachable moment. The old model of the black athlete getting rich, staying uneducated, balling out of control and going broke has absolutely got to change. We must aim for something better.

    Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Finance Professor at Syracuse University and author of the forthcoming book, “Black American Money.” To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.

     

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  • Antoine Walker is Broke: Five Lessons We can Learn

    Filed under: ,

    When I went to The University of Kentucky with Antoine Walker during the 1990s, we all knew he was going to be a star. He was headed for great things and would represent his family well. No one would have guessed that he would one day become the poster child for what NOT to do when you earn $110 million dollars.

    Antoine is busted, or as my friends would say, “broker than the 10 commandments.” He was recently arrested for not paying $800,000 in gambling debts he owed to a Vegas casino, and that’s when the financial roaches started coming out of the closet.

    In the midst of Antoine’s situation, we can all learn lessons. I thought I’d lay out a few for us to consider:

    1) Watch who you allow to handle your dough. It might sound good to say that you have an accountant, but the truth is that you are always vulnerable when someone is doing things with your money that you do not understand. Additionally, allowing friends and relatives to have access to your financial accounts is a very bad idea. While I have major issues with Bill Cosby, I was always impressed by the fact that he takes care of his own money. Also, one of the sad realities of NBA athletes is that most of them were not properly educated during college, given wimpy little majors that didn’t interfere with their athletics schedules, so some of them are unprepared to protect the wealth they work so hard to earn. Get an education- you’re going to need it.

    2) Don’t judge Antoine Walker harshly, this can happen to anyone. Going broke or going to jail is not just something that happens to bad or irresponsible people. The same is true for a gambling addiction. While we are tempted to attack Antoine Walker for his situation, the truth of the matter is that gambling problems impact hundreds of thousands of people every year: Campuses are being overrun by TV poker challenges and other seemingly harmless, yet financially devastating temptations. If you don’t yet have a gambling problem, be careful not to start one. That’s an easy way to go broke.

    3) Stay away from the vices: Drugs, gambling or other costly addictions have led to the financial downfall of many people. In addition to gambling, other vices such as drugs or alcohol can accelerate your path to the poor house. What’s worse is that the temptation to engage in these activities is greater when you have more money to burn. NBA and NFL stars are still quite young, and the idea of giving a 22-year old $10 million dollars a year is a scary thing. Even I would have made terrible mistakes if I’d received that much money so early in life. If you are in a relationship with someone who regularly engages in any of these bad habits, you might want to reconsider that relationship. It can cause you a great deal of trouble later on down the road.

    4) Show your love, but put a cap on it: Antoine Walker has shown himself to be a generous man, giving to children and taking care of relatives. The problem is that it’s difficult for anyone to be a one-man welfare machine. I only call it welfare when someone is asking for something for nothing. I find that it is more productive to ask for something before you give something away; put the relative to work on productive activities that will help save you money. It will make both of you feel better in the end. Also, budget your charity to ensure that you don’t go overboard in your giving. Typically, those who are asking you for money today won’t be anywhere around when you are having financial problems.

    5) Watch how hard you bling: While “blinging” and “balling” might be incredibly tempting, you should limit the number of status symbols you acquire in order to show your wealth. Antoine Walker has always loved to “do it big,” renting limos for every occasion and not wearing the same suit twice during the playoffs. While he gets a lot of points in style, the truth is that such financial extravagance is not only financially draining, it also makes you a big target. Years ago, when Antoine was robbed of several thousand dollars during a trip to Chicago (and again later at his home in Miami), we can probably assume that the robbers knew they were coming after a wealthy victim.

    I am not here to attack Antoine Walker. Instead, my goal is to make his challenges into a true teachable moment. The old model of the black athlete getting rich, staying uneducated, balling out of control and going broke has absolutely got to change. We must aim for something better.

    Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Finance Professor at Syracuse University and author of the forthcoming book, “Black American Money.” To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.

     

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  • Al Scales Reynolds: Opening Up About ‘Life After’ Messy Marriage

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    Al Scales Reynolds: Opening Up About 'Life After' Messy Marriage

    The one and only Al Scales Reynolds is a featured celebrity notable on TV One’s much buzzed about docu-series ‘Life After,’ which explores the past, present and future hopes of some of black America’s most intriguing bold-faced names.

    The eight-episode, half-hour series — which feature candid profiles on Omarosa Manigault Stallworth, Taimak, Eva Marcille and Daryl “Chill” Mithcell, respectively — is part biography, part confessional and an overall celebration of the human spirit.

    Though the former husband of Star Jones isn’t a SAG card-carrying thespian (like the aforementioned actors and reality TV stars), his short-lived marriage to and messy divorce from a former TV personality has presented many public and professional challenges for the former Wall Street power broker. He has had more than his fair share of tabloid fodder and wants to set the record straight about any misconceptions and misrepresentations.

    Reynolds exclusively offered Blackvoices.com some insight on why he chose to do ‘Life After’ – in his very own words.

    When I decided I did not want to be married any more, the truth is I had no idea how it was all going to play out. The one thing I knew was that I did not want to do it any longer–not one extra day with how bad it had gotten.

    I knew it was going to be a long road to recovery, but I was ready because I’d had enough, enough of the lies and deceit that existed in my life. It was becoming harder and harder to wake up and be satisfied with the face that stared back at me in the mirror.
    I would like to set the record straight: I am not one who advocates divorce. That would be the furthest from the truth, but I am one who advocates happiness and moral responsibility. You see, before I got married, I was a private banker at the world headquarters of one of the most prestigious white-glove financial firms in the world. I had a client list that read like a who’s who of fashion, sports, design and education. I lived downtown in The Ritz Carlton Residence, and I was well on my way to realizing all the dreams I had envisioned for myself. I studied at some of the most prestigious universities and colleges in the country.

    This all was the experience of a “country boy” from Virginia who started out in a mobile home in Horsepasture, Virginia, and ended up living in a penthouse in Manhattan.

    I managed to defy every single statistic that existed in my era and pushed forward to become what many define today as a success. And guess what, it was not overnight. It was after 25 years of schooling, 12 years of work experience and 33 years of living. It was after three career changes and dozens of setbacks, failures and disappointments.

    To accomplish all of that and wake up to find myself in a high-profile marriage that led to what felt like the raping of my character, integrity and namesake was a problem.

    How did all of this occur in what felt like a matter of seconds and why was it happening to me? That’s what I found myself thinking about. I would frequently wonder when I heard or read anything about myself who the tabloids were they talking about?

    Whether anyone wants to admit it or not, what I’ve experienced and how I’ve been misrepresented in the media is a real-life tragedy. And before now, I didn’t feel comfortable enough to say it and say it out loud. Now, I want to be very clear, I am not looking for sympathy. I only want to take responsibility for any part I had to play in this.

    But at the same time, I want the respect that I worked so hard to obtain. How come, within the blink of an eye, people started questioning my sexuality? How come after all that I worked hard to achieve, I was being called a freeloader, a kept man or a fraud?

    It was with caution that I originally took the call from TV One Network. Most of the calls I had received from most networks — and you name it, they’ve called — were not interested in showing who or what I was really about. They were interested in me living out the caricature that was so vividly portrayed.

    TV One approached me about showing the world what I was doing now, using my voice as the platform. Finally, I thought, someone who was interested in exploring who the real Al Reynolds was and not who the media had made me out to be.

    The producers said they were only interested in doing socially responsible programming that would allow me to just be me. They were interested in following me mentoring young adults, teaching my personal finance and leadership courses at the university, helping everyday Americans with their financial problems, writing financial articles, doing financial television commentary and exploring the road I have traveled from early childhood to the present.

    I felt that ‘Life After’ was finally a project in which I could showcase who I really am, with no scripts, no red carpets, no paparazzi, no endorsements — just the real deal.

    The show represents pushing through whatever challenges or obstacles you are experiencing in your life and persevering. It is the” life” you forge “after” your adversity.

    This project represents to me the closing of a chapter in my life, as well the beginning of a new and exciting one, one that is filled with giving back to my community, which is thirsting for help in mentoring and motivating in order to achieve and overcome adversity.

    It’s the beginning of embracing the entertainment side of my life. I look forward to having a much greater touch by writing, commentating and developing socially responsible projects for everyone to be inspired and uplifted.

    Reclaiming my name, my identity and my voice back is the most rewarding and best part. From the bottom of my heart to the tip top of my head, I still say to any and everyone listening: What doesn’t kill you definitely makes you stronger!

    ‘Life After: Al Reynolds’ premieres Oct. 18 at 10 p.m. on TV One.

     

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  • It’s Just a Woman’s Power


    A mature man comments on the female powers of observation and shares a little advice with the fellas… “Men we now have to start coming clean using truth and honesty if we hope to keep our women. This knowledge has me a little paranoid when I meet a woman… now is she looking at me from the inside out? That can’t be a pretty sight because I got issues. Not being as handsome as most and now I know I’m certainly not as smart, I have to be more honest and forthright to attract the opposite sex.”

  • ATL Housewife Lisa Calls Out Mediatakeout

    Posted by: Lisa Hartwell

    **GG Exclusive**

     

    Hi Global Grind world!

     

    It’s always exciting for me to connect with new people.  We are four episodes into the new season of Real Housewives of Atlanta and I have been doing so many interviews.  I can say it’s refreshing to blog and actually share my own point of view without the media spin on it.

    I am happy to say that I have garnered some favorable media coverage this season. And, I genuinely appreciate the love and support from fans and the media alike.

     

    But, I have to say that I am thoroughly disappointed by irresponsible sites like MediaTakeOut.com.   

     

    They just post any and everything without checking facts or ever speaking directly to the parties they are posting about. This week they said that I am fighting to have my sons appear on my show.

     

    Nothing could be further from the truth. I have and always will have my three sons (EJ, Justin & Jordan) best interest at heart. I am in on-going legal litigation with the father of my two oldest sons’ and we are working through it for the sake of our children.

     

    But, through it all…I have Ed, the most supportive husband on the planet. So, trust me. there is a lot of prayer going on in our home. And, we know everything will work itself out. So, in spite of irresponsible journalism.. TRUTH will always prevail.

     

    I look forward to blogging more and keep watching Real Housewives of Atlanta!

     

    Also, stay tuned for my Closet Freak Clothing Line debut and speaking engagements possibly in your city!

     

    Love, Lisa

     

  • Dr. Boyce Money: What Chris Brown Can Learn From R Kelly

    I spoke about Chris Brown on CNN not too long ago, and I am sure I’ll be talking about him now. Given his shocking 5-year probationary smackdown by a judge, I am sure that Chris has been humbled beyond belief. Even I was surprised to see him get this kind of punishment. But the truth is that when we make personal decisions, there is a piper to be paid, and sometimes that piper wants more compensation than we wish to deliver.

    But Chris Brown is far from finished, and I expect him to be back on top in no time. The Chris Brown brand is still worth hundreds of millions of dollars, since corporate America is very good at working around the emotional to secure the logical value of their financial assets. Here are some things to keep in mind as Chris tries to rebuild his damaged career.

    If R. Kelly can make a comeback, anybody can. I confess that R. Kelly honestly sickens me. I hate to say it this way, but the idea of a man doing what he is alleged to have done to that little girl makes me as angry as you can ever possibly imagine (and yes, I do believe that was him in that video). What disturbs me even more is that the American public let the entire issue go as soon as Kelly released another hit song. This sends a horrible message to young black women, reflecting the fact that our culture does not value their well-being as much as we value a hit song about going to the club, getting drunk and having irresponsible sex at the end of the night. Sorry homeboy, but you can’t serenade your way into my good graces or that of any other conscientious African American. There are simply some lines entertainers cannot cross and being found “not guilty” is not the same as being found innocent.

    In spite of the obvious critique one can thrust on R. Kelly, the oddest thing is that R. Kelly’s model of career recovery can serve as an instruction manual for Chris Brown. The first segment of that lesson came during R. Kelly’s first BET interview after the child pornography allegations were made. During the interview, I noticed that the singer kept repeating the phrase, “Just focus on my music.” He repeated the phrase several times, as if his business manager had coached him to do so. Upon processing things later, the translation here was simple: If you are focused on his music, you will forgive him for the fact that he’d been accused of doing nasty things to someone’s 13-year old daughter. Yes it’s sick. Yes, it bothers me. But yes, it’s the truth and it has worked quite well for R. Kelly and his business model (notice that it took him a while to release his latest album after the trial – the public typically cools off and forgets almost anything you’ve done if enough time passes).

    Similar to the R. Kelly situation, I’ve noticed that many female music fans really don’t care that Chris Brown is a man who seems to believe that it’s O.K.to use a woman’s face as a punching bag. The report that he used the big ring on his finger to inflict even more damage to Rihanna reminds you of the late Ike Turner. I hope he takes his domestic violence counseling seriously, since he can’t go on living like this.

    In the music industry, fans are quick to accept eccentric behavior from celebrities. The public took no issue with Michael Jackson’s problematic relationships with children and there are many other scenarios in which a hit record is enough to take value judgments off the radar screen. Personally, I find myself in constant shock at the kind of language Lil Wayne’s female fans allow him to use to consistently disrespect them. It almost seems that a polite Lil Wayne would not sell nearly as many records as the drunken, outlandish rapper who appears to have a serious drug problem.

    Value systems aside and with the focus back on business, a black entertainer can rebuild his career after an arrest by doing the following things:

    1) Just say that Jesus healed you. People always buy that one. It worked for R. Kelly. References to God, even when insincere and blatantly hypocritical, invoke deeply entrenched sensibilities within African Americans. Personally, I need proof that you’ve really changed, not just your statement that Jesus came to you in a dream.

    2) Sincerely apologize. People always love a good apology.

    3) Make a really hot song. If people are dancing to your music, they usually forget that you might want to punch out their daughter or think that she’s a garden tool. Unfortunate, but true.

    4) Remember the truth: People really don’t care that much about the celeb’s personal life and are looking for an excuse to forgive him anyway. I recall speaking to someone who works for a major network, and I was in awe over how nonchalant she was about the R. Kelly situation. All she kept saying was, “Well, he ISSSS talented,” as if his talent forgives him for any sin committed in the present, past or future. I bumped into a radio exec at a major station in Chicago and listened to him essentially say the same thing when explaining why his station adjusted its policy against playing R. Kelly music shortly after the allegations. The fact is that people just don’t care.

    Chris Brown’s brand will remain strong in the music industry. From a business standpoint, it is also ironic that being arrested may actually be a “coming out” party for him, reinventing him for the world as the tough, borderline thug that many women seem to love (remember when Lauren London said she had a crush on Ol Dog from Menace to Society – a man known for being the craziest gang banger in entertainment history?). These coming out parties are common, as you typically see young actresses do sexy magazine covers on their 18th birthday (i.e. when “Simply Raven” became “Sexy Raven” and when Rudy Huxtable played a prostitute in her latest film), or male entertainers trying to look mean and “tatted up” to break away from their good boy image (i.e. Lil Bow Wow….I mean, Bow Wow). It’s all about branding. The craziest thing about the Chris Brown situation is that being arrested for beating a woman could actually work to his advantage. So, our adoration for Chris Brown (actually, other people’s adoration, since I don’t respect any man who would do that to a woman) is a reflection of our society and a nasty look in the mirror for all of us. I should say, however, that I consider Chris Brown to be far different from R. Kelly: He is still a very young man who makes mistakes and could possibly become a decent adult with guidance and significant intervention – which spoiled celebrities seldom receive.

    Don’t be surprised to see Chris hanging out with more rappers, where it’s actually a good thing to be arrested. He’s going to have a few more tattoos, a meaner “mug” on his next album and present a brand that embraces the hardcore image, yet not so hardcore that you won’t believe him when he sincerely apologizes and says that Jesus saved him. The new Chris Brown will be interesting.