I'm So Over 2016

It’s been a while since I posted a new blog entry.  In fact, I haven’t posted anything since the end of 2015.  Let me tell you … 2016 has turned out be quite an interesting year.  So much has happened, and it’s just May.  Let’s recap the year so far.

The Oregon Standoff

So, I wake up one Sunday morning in January and turn on the news.  It was being reported that 150 armed men took over a federal building in Oregon in protest because of a dispute they had with the federal government over some land.  Here’s the kicker.  These same men advised they would use deadly force if they were pushed to do so.  Wait.  What?  Those dudes “occupied” that federal building for over three weeks before anything even popped off.  Ain’t it interesting how after the “occupation”, we didn’t hear anything else about this until those men made good on their threat to use force?  No federal guard troops were deployed during that time.  No one on the news called these “militia men” thugs.  Duly noted.  Shoot … Black folks can’t even sell loose cigarettes on the street, play with a toy gun in a park, or fail to signal a turn while driving without deadly force being used. 

Daniel Holtzclaw

In December 2015, former Oklahoma City police officer Daniel Holtzclaw was tried and convicted of raping 13 Black women while on duty.  I know I could not have been the only one that was sick and tired of seeing pictures of this guy crying those big ol’ crocodile tears all on the news and on Facebook’s newsfeed when the verdict was read.  Earlier this year, he was sentenced to 263 years in prison.  Finally!  Justice is served.  Just a few words of advice for Holtzclaw … don’t drop the soap.    

The Oscars

For the second year in the row, #OscarsSoWhite got some run on social media.  No actors or actresses of color were nominated for lead or supporting roles.  There were no best picture nods for “Straight Outta Compton” or “Creed” … but two White screenwriters were nominated for best screenplay for “Straight Outta Compton”, and Sylvester Stallone got a nod for best supporting actor for “Creed”.

The lack of nominations for actors / actresses of color is nothing new at the Oscars.  The Oscars were first presented in the 1929.  From 1929 to 2015, a total of 35 Black folks have won Oscars.  That is an 86 year span, y’all.  So, I was a little taken aback by all the buzz and discussion this has generated this year.

Jada Pinkett Smith released a video on the MLK holiday concerning the Oscars and how she planned to boycott this year’s ceremony.  While I am a fan of Jada’s, I had some mixed feelings about her boycott.  Again … since this isn’t a new issue, why was this year’s lack of nominations a cause for concern and outrage?  And if Black folks boycotted the Oscars, would it really make that much of a difference since our nominations are so far and few between?

Actress Janet Hubert (the original Aunt Viv) posted a video regarding Jada’s boycott of the Oscars.  Some folks called it tacky, and others accused her of still being bitter about her exit from “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”.  Well … she did make some valid points.  I’m just sayin’ …

Stacey Dash

Lord, have mercy.  I don’t know where to begin on this.  After reading a blog post from Awesomely Luvvie (http://www.awesomelyluvvie.com/2016/01/stacey-dash-clueless.html), I’m not sure there is much left to say (lol). 

That paycheck from Fox News must be some kinda good to make ol’ girl sell out like she has.

Flint

What the hell is going on in Flint?  And, more importantly, how the hell could something like this happen?  Millions of people had to drink and were exposed to poisoned, contaminated water for years … and government officials knew there were issues and let it continue.  This was a big story several months ago, but it’s getting little coverage now.  We haven’t forgotten, though.  Last I read, a few patsies got arrested for their role in this crisis.  I’m still waiting to hear when Michigan’s governor will be led away in handcuffs for his role in this, too.

2016 Presidential Race

This ENTIRE presidential race … wow.  Am I the only one waiting for Ashton Kutcher to jump out of the bushes and yell that we’ve all been punked?  How is Donald Trump STILL the leading candidate for the Republican party?  And how does Ted Cruz choose a vice-presidential running mate when he ain’t even gonna win the Republican nomination?  Really, Ted ... or should I say Rafael Edward Cruz?  (I find it interesting that folks made a big deal about Barack Obama's name and where he was born, but these same folks never mention Cruz's entire name or say anything about the fact that he was born in Canada, but I digress ...)

I find it hysterical that the Republican party wants to distance itself from Donald Trump.  They are embarrassed by his outward racism and racist comments, and they had a fit when David Duke announced he was backing Trump for president.  Aren’t these the same people who made it very clear from the beginning that their goal was to make Obama a one-term president and did everything in their power to block all he tried to accomplish as president?  Aren’t these the same people who didn’t even wait for Justice Antonin Scalia’s body to get cold before they made an announcement that they’d block any nominee Obama made for the Supreme Court?  Seriously?!?!?  They say Trump does not represent the Republican party, but it was their unapologetic hatred, disrespect, and intolerance toward President Obama that has led to and fueled an environment that allowed Trump to become so popular.  Now, the GOP has to deal with a problem of their own creation.   How’s that for irony?

… and Bernie vs Hillary.  Disclaimer.  I am a Bernie Sanders supporter.  Something about him speaks to me, and I just can’t get with Hillary.  I am annoyed by all the folks in the Democratic party that are trying to get Bernie to leave the race when just a few years ago, Hillary was still in a race for the Democratic nomination after it was clear she had no chance of winning.  Run, Bernie.  Run! 

Beyonce

I’ve said this before, and I will make this disclaimer again.  While I am not a hater, I am definitely NOT a Beyonce fan.  All that said, I still have to give her props.  Sistah girl is a marketing genius.  The day before the Super Bowl and her halftime performance, Beyonce released the “Formation” video and had people all up in arms.  She’s a racist!  She’s a cop hater!  Why would she pay homage to the Black Panthers, a “hate” group?  She had folks calling for a boycott of her tour.  She had police departments all over the country saying they wouldn’t provide any security when she rolled through their city. 

… and last weekend, “Lemonade” drops just days before the start of her tour.  When it first came out, you could only purchase “Lemonade” on Tidal … a service that just so happens to be owned by her husband.  The lyrics have folks wondering and blogging about whether or not the songs were about her and Jay-Z.  Folks from the Bey Hive have attacked Rachel Roy (and Rachael Ray … lol) because they thought she was Becky with the good hair.

Since everyone else has given their opinions, lemme offer up mine, too.  Beyonce is an entertainer, and a song can be literal or metaphorical.  Jay-Z and Beyonce are just fine.  In fact, they’re sitting back, watching those dollars y’all are spending on them stack up while sipping on some nice cold ....  Yeah, you know where I was going with that (lol).

She’s even selling “Boycott Beyonce” t-shirts on her tour!  She playin’ with y’all.  Beyonce and Jay need to be included in somebody’s marketing textbook.  For real.

Celebrity Deaths

What in the world is going on here?  We’ve lost some great folks this year.  At the end of 2015, we lost William Guest of Gladys Knight and the Pips, Meadowlark Lemon, and Natalie Cole.  2016 has dealt the music world an especially hard blow.  Since the beginning of the year, we’ve had to say goodbye to Clarence “Blowfly” Reid, Nick Caldwell of The Whispers, David Bowie, Glenn Frey, Maurice White, Denise Matthews (aka Vanity), Phife Dawg, Leon Haywood, Merle Haggard, Daryl Coley, and Billy Paul.  I thought death was supposed to come in three’s.  I am so over 2016.  Dang.  Enough already.

But the one that REALLY hurt me …

Prince

I will never forget the first time I heard Prince’s music.  I even remember the song … “I Wanna Be Your Lover”.  It was a Sunday afternoon in late 1979 or early 1980.  I was 6 years old.  My paternal grandparents raised one of my first cousins.  Grandma and Granddaddy did NOT allow any secular music in their house on Sundays.  So, my cousin Jackie used to have to sneak to listen to it (lol).  Many of my aunts, uncles, and cousins would gather at Grandma and Granddaddy’s house on Sunday afternoons.  This one Sunday afternoon, my sister and I snuck into my cousin Jackie’s room when she put on her Prince album.  I remember looking at the album cover and wondering, “Who is THIS?!?!?”  And that song is STILL my jam.

Y’all … I have loved Prince since I was 6 years old.  I’m 43 now.  I have been a Prince fan for 37 years.  Even though I have never met him, his death felt like losing a member of the family.  Prince’s music is a very big part of the soundtrack of my life.  He was at every party, school dance, family celebration, and intimate moment (those slow jams, though).  His musical genius is like none other.  Since April 21^st, I have cried, I have played back so many memories over the years that included Prince or his music, and I’ve had his music in constant rotation in the car and on my iPod. 

Prince.  His Royal Badness.  That Sexy Mother. 

He will be forever missed.