sometimes...

so....this week i've been feelin' kinda blah, annoyed with everyone, myself included. and when i get in a funk, music is my solace. and one of the neo-soul anthems that is oh so appropriate is bilal's "sometimes."

ever been to one of his concerts and you know what i'm talkin bout. everybody, including the folks tryin to act cute in the back, sings along to this joint.

this week i felt like remixin' it, to reflect how i'm feelin....check the video below and sing along to my new lyrics posted below...
enjoy!

*in a barely comprehensible whisper*
from inside the head of a girl who can be called a dreamer
these are her wishes and dreams [REPEAT in the background]

This is a song that makes me spill out all my brains sometimes

Sometimes

I wish I was a better me sometimes
I wish I was annoying-people free sometimes
I wish I saw the bullshit first sometimes
I wish I knew which way to go without searchin’ sometimes
I wish I could go where I never been
See what I never saw, do what I never did
Or walk before I could crawl, every day of my life

I wish I went with my heart not my head sometimes
I wish I had a man in my bed sometimes
I mean I’m worth it
Since I did all that work at the gym yesterday
But then he ain't good to me
As I am good to him
And he don't pay my attention the way that I do sometimes

But ya’ll, I should be nicer than I am sometimes
I take this changin’ my mind shit waaaay too far
I mean, it was kinda adventurous in the beginning but now
I think I only do it cuz I can’t commit sometimes
It’s got people thinkin’ I don't have a clue sometimes
But I guess it wouldn't be so bad
If I knew what was goin’ on in my own head
Then it wouldn't hurt me so bad
When I picture my life with no meaning sometimes

I wish I knew life with loads of money, yeah
Wish I held the keys to that house sometimes
I pretend cuz I'm afraid to be, afraid to choose sometimes
I hope I get married by twenty-nine sometimes
I wish I could be like Eva in Paris
Round up my bridesmaids, move down the aisle
And live a better life sometimes
I wish I didn't try so hard sometimes
Who knows how he’s comin’ any way
They don't know nothing, who needs their approval

The world is in your hands sista
Move at your own pace, listen to your own mind
Do your own thing, yeah yeah
I gotta tell my self this every day
And I gotta grow more, yeah yeah
But I wanna run back in the other direction
Nope, I got to stay on this path until I win
I win, I win, I win
I wanna win, I wanna win, I wanna win, I wanna win

Aaahh sometimes, sing it with me I wish
(I wish true love) And I wish, oh I wish
(I wish self-peace) Oh sometimes
(I wish hope) I wish hope
(I wish true love) I wish true
(I dream clearly) Hey I dream so clearly sometimes
(Wish with no fear) I wish with no fear
(I have no fear) I have no fear
(Have no doubt) I have no doubt
(I don't doubt) I don't doubt
(Have no doubt) No, I don't doubt
(Have no doubt, I wish true love)

I wish true love, hey hey

Bellinis' breakin' it down, vol i.

Remember a few weeks ago in Whose America, I reference C-suite holders (chief titles in corporate America including chief executive officer [CEO], chief operating officer [COO], chief financial officer [CFO], etc.) If no, read it now and comeback; if yes proceed . . .

There appears to be some hoopla over the resignation/termination of Stanley O'Neal, former CEO of Merrill Lynch. Here's the background you need to know per your edification and for purposes of me breakin' it down: black male (60's), CEO of Fortune 500 company [old guard company meaning very safe in terms assest allocation], just know this is not a newbie company (i.e. Microsoft, Google, eBay, etc.).


Uhh ohh . . . breaking news --- Never mind that less than 100 hours ago, Chuck Prince [such a cool name], Citigroup's CEO is stepping down over his sour performance with the company -- his famous last words as CEO per his press release were: "It is my judgment that, given the size of the recent losses in our mortgage-backed securities business, the only honorable course for me to take . . . is to step down," the potential losses to the tune of $ 8,000,000,000.

back to O'Neal

So, Mr. O'Neal is leaving and folks are debating the influence of race in his resignation/ouster. Why? be'cuz as Americans that's what we do -- race is a salient factor of the American experience. O'Neal's departure hinges on the fact that Merrill Lynch will have to report losses in excess of $5,000,000,000 [ yes, that's the correct amont of zeroes -- 5 billion] some reports believe the amount is closer to 8 billion dollars stemming from the company's overexposure in the sub-prime mortgage market (homeowners who due to their poor credit standing, lack of understanding of the homeownership enterprise, and confluence of other factors are the sub-prime mortgage market target).

Minorities, many of them poor and black, comprise a huge percentage of households that have obtained this type of mortgage loan (check out The Economist, "Of the wretched and the reckless" 9/8-14/07). got it -- good, back to the nitty gritty; so throw the history of race, a Fortune 500 company, Stanley O'Neal and his perceived role or lack of in the American Dream and you get . . .

1.
some folks are incensed that O'Neal as a black man would steer a corporate institution rooted in capitalism to engage the sub-prime mortgage market industry because of the dentrimental impact black folks have faced.

2.
And some folks feel like its racist for Merrill Lynch to part ways with Mr. O'Neal.

********************WTF***************

time for Bellini's Breakdown

First of all, working in coporate America, particularly as CEO you respond to two constituencies board of trustees and your shareholders. In both cases, the common denominator is bringin' in the benjamins. So, with that being said, so what if the market he pursued was the sub-prime mortgage market. Due to his timing in the market last year, O'Neal was the golden boy. He made Merrill Lynch plenty of money. In other words, he did his job as CEO. Now, with the housing market cooling down and folks are gettin' antsy about the lending market and the banks feel the money crunch from going overboard with the sub-prime mortgage market there are a whole bunch of write-offs in terms of loss profit for a myriad of companies, Merrill Lynch and Citigroup are included. No need to worry for O'Neal or Prince there severance package comes equipped with a platinum parachute.

It's touching folks don't want to see a brotha go, but get over it. I already told you the two constituencies that matter. Don't worry there are a few folks left with offices in the c-suite. Let's drink to that.

cheers,

Bellini

Just for Me

I’m living on my own and though it isn’t quite a hard knock life, sometimes I do wish I was still with my momma despite some of the hang ups that can bring. To save some money I think I’d gladly wash a parental unit’s car with a toothbrush or help my granny take out her dentures! I’ve been out in this here world for the past three years and have learned a lot about myself. I am now keenly aware of how much I love a bargain! Be it a two for one special, blue light special, manager discount, going out of business sale, as is, lightly worn, slightly imperfect, barely funky (ya’ll catch my drift)-I’m on it! When it comes to shopping for the staples that help me sustain life: cereal, instant oatmeal, sugar and milk-you’ll find me at one of the finer discount stores-Target or Wally World-before you see me at a local grocer. Five plus dollars, for some dried up, over processed oat, rice or corn cereal ain’t a good look.

On a recent shopping excursion in Target (to stock up on boxes of cereal) I remembered that I had run out of lotion. Yes, my ashy butt was putting on petroleum jelly as a substitute. And I was shinin’ from my head to my toes ya’ll! Slippin’on the bathroom floor, fighting the ash all the while trying to maintain some classiness. So I moseyed over to the lotion aisle. Do not venture into such an aisle without a game plan ya’ll-the options are overwhelming. When it comes to facial cream-It’s Noxzema. When it comes to laundry detergent-It’s Gain. But with lotion, I have no brand loyalty, it’s whoever is selling themselves at the lowest dollar that I’m taking home with me. Well, I do have some standards…no generic store brand for me-because really there is a difference even if it is in similar packaging (sorry Target). Anyways, on this particular day there was a manager’s special and several lotions were on sale. I really couldn’t decide if I wanted to smell like wild flower bouquets or tangy kiwi. But in the midst of my indecision I spotted the most beautiful bottle of lotion my eyes ever spied at the end of the Vaseline lotion section. Pass the white, blue, yellow, lavender and light green bottles-sat the golden coppery brown bottle. And I just had to buy it…

Why? Because the contents inside this shiny brown bottle were made just for me.

I guess someone at Vaseline decided to tap into the colored peoples' lotion market-directly. I have used their classic yellow bottle lotion as well as others in their line and have been pleased with the results…the ash was gone. But it got me to wondering about this lotion I spotted. It was cocoa butter lotion-but I knew it was packaged with me in mind. I’ve seen other cocoa butter lotions, they are in lighter brown bottles, with Palmer's or Uncle Junies Cocoa salve scrolled across the top, products I was too proud to purchase. But it seems that the Marketeers at Vaseline learned how they could reach into the pockets of black folks without our uncles and ainties.

Marketing to Black Folks for the Politically Correct Marketeer-101 (some excerpts)

Black people love anything showing them dancing and singing…
Um, okay I enjoy Popeyes Chicken-n-Biscuits as much as the next person but this is a little ridiculous don’t you think?

Black people love anything and everything African…
African Pride, need I say more? And how many other products for us have you seen with a Kente cloth pattern and red, black and green urban style text?

Black people love Berry White’s (or something close to it) Voice…
God Bless his soul, his voice was could drive many a lady wild and wet. But come on Toyota I don’t need to be that excited to buy your car.

Black people love brown, gold and copper…
Ah the Earth hues. We love anything that resembles our skin tones. Pantene realized this. And Vaseline did as well. You’ll notice when you select Vaseline’s Cocoa line its completely different…a little bit darker…than their other products.

Haven’t marketeers learned these lessons well? They certainly know what sells. I did end up buying that bottle of cocoa butter lotion that wasn't on sale! It’s a wonderful product, I must admit. Would I have bought it if it were in a red or gray bottle? Maybe, but only if I could get two for one. Otherwise, I doubt I would have noticed it if it weren’t for shiny brown packaging that reminded me of me.


See You in Seven

Feet Don't Fail Me Now

I apologize in advance for the lengthiness of my spiel.

Rum Punch had my mind churning all weekend long after reading her post last Friday. She served that thang real nice- shaken well, a lil strong, and with just enough ice. I know many women who have an opinion about dating similar to the one Rum Punch shared with us. Please believe me when I tell you that I feel their pain. But I find it equally painful to hear my sistren tell the woes of dating, searching for the ONE, and the limited options with which they have to do so. What bothers me more than the obvious crisis at hand is the way in which we choose to manage it.

To my girl Rummy and other sistas who feel the way she does, I pose to you the following:

1) What happened to dating? Just dating.

You know when that thing where you go out with somebody and have fun. Get to know each other, experience something new… enjoying life in other words. Life is short. I’m not saying don’t plan for the future, but maybe enjoy some of today while you build for tomorrow. Make new friends. Switch up that boring ass routine of yours and create opportunities for yourself instead of waiting for someone else to present them to you.

I checked out dictionary.com for a couple of definitions.

Dating: an engagement to go out socially with another person, often out of romantic interest.

Mating: to match or marry.

Not quite the same meaning. While one can lead to the other, it doesn’t always happen in that order. Dating is like trying on twenty pairs of shoes in DSW and only coming out with two. You never would’ve seen those brown Stuart Weitzman boots on clearance if the red Calvin Klein pumps didn’t pinch your toes. When you get home and realize the boots don’t match the new dress in your closet, take them back. Get a refund or exchange them for another pair. Would you really keep a pair of shoes just because you couldn’t find a better pair? ‘Nuff said.

1) If you think your options are limited now, take into consideration that you’re looking for a husband and watch that narrow slice get split into slithers.

Don’t forget that it takes two so for every one of you ladies out there looking for a husband, not a date, there must be a man looking too for the match to occur. More than likely, that is not the case. There are many do-right brothas out there who are broom jumping material but not quite ready to jump at this moment. All the home cooking and good luvin’ in the world won’t change this until that man is ready. Period.

For the few desperate dudes who do fit into that ready right now category, don’t be scared when homie tells you about a chapel he’s had his eye on and how it must be fate that your size 7 finger fits his grandmother’s ring perfectly. You laugh, huh? Don’t act like you haven’t already picked out that Vera Wang bridal gown that matches your mama’s pearls.

2) Which husband would you prefer: the bus driver who comes home at a decent hour every day or the accountant who works 50+ hour weeks, travels 70% of the time, but makes 3x the bus driver’s salary?

I don’t know when dating/mating with the bus driver became bottom of the barrel (I kid, I kid), but I’m using this example because Rum Punch did. I work for a professional firm. The senior management staff practically lives, eats, and sleeps work. Raking in the dough. Their kids are well taken care of. Their wives are living the good life. Yet they are rarely home or spending time with their families.

Last year, a bus driver asked me out (true story, I swear). I rode his bus home every evening and we would engage in very stimulating conversation with topics ranging from the latest movies to government & politics. He’s a very nice man and we still kick it from time to time, I just wasn’t feeling him romantically. But he’s a perfect example of how you can limit your options by judging the book by its uniform. This man drives the bus part-time and teaches at a local college part-time. He is comfortable with both occupations. His reasons for driving the bus are that the transit department’s benefits are great & the pay is damn good. He started working at the college because he gave in after a dean tried continouously to recruit him for over two years. He also truly enjoys teaching. Last time I spoke with him, he was looking to enroll into a state university to earn a Master’s Degree in Education.

Not bad if you ask me. But I understand his profession is not image-worthy. It doesn’t garner the same status in society as a profession that requires you to wear a suit and necktie Monday thru Friday. It won't have your parents bragging to their buddies over a game of bid whist. Not quite enough to make your sorors jealous. And that's what truly matters, right?

3) Where did this notion come from that the majority of white people are earning big salaries?

It is true that people of color still don’t earn a dollar for every dollar earned by a white person in the same position. However, there are just as many white men who are plumbers, customer service reps, baristas, etc. as there are black men. Even if a white woman has more options, they’re not quite as lucrative as we like to assume. Remember Roseanne Connor and Peggy Bundy? Women like that really do exist. They outnumber the Carrie Bradshaws and Samantha Coopers in the world.

The Census Bureau reported the 2004 U.S. median household income was $44,334. People of color are still a minority in this country; therefore this median income is comprised mostly of the incomes of white folks. Keep that in mind the next time you [subconsciously] hate on white women and their “options”.

4) Would you accept a job offer for a position that you are overqualified for and that offered a lesser salary then what you are asked for?

Rum Punch mentioned our playing field not being level when it comes to dating. So true. As a black woman, most playing fields in my life are not even. Jobs and earning potential, shopping for credit lenders and decent interest rates, portrayal in the media, misogyny in hip-hop, oh I could go on all day! When it comes to equal opportunity, I am S.O.L. But why should I let that stop me?

I am a queen who deserves nothing less than a king. Every king's crown ain't blinged out with diamonds and platinum though. And nobody, no one, and not a damn soul can dictate who's fit to be my king but me. What I can tell you is my king will not be Mr. Right or Mr Right Enough. He will be Mr. Right for Me. Nothing less.

When I do find him (and damnit I will), I shall cherish him forever. 'Cause Rum Punch wasn't lying when she said it's hard out here for a pimp.

Tumultuously Yours,

Dark & Stormy

Wanted: Mr. Right! (But Will Consider Mr. Right Enough)

So my Caucasian co-worker came back from her honeymoon and announced, “I’s married now.” Ok. She didn’t. But she did come back from her honeymoon after marrying a corporate lawyer who whisks her off to London or the Caribbean for romantic four day weekends; and this got me thinking about dating, race and options…yes, this is how my mind works. Crazy ain’t it?

So, in my days of unemployment and underemployment which can be described as when I was working night jobs, I watched a lot of television. One of my favorite shows was Dr. Phil. Oh how I loved the drama. Anyway. Sometimes a white woman would come on Dr. Phil talking about how she couldn’t find a husband, she was looking everywhere, blah, blah, but she just couldn’t find Mr. Right. So of course Dr. Phil would ask what kind of man she wanted and she would have some crazy stipulation like “he can’t have back hair…” That’s not crazy, you say, who wants someone with back hair? Ok, no one. But here’s the thing, when you can go past the basics of what kind of man you want to be with, you know general physical appearance, character, personality, values, etc., and get that specific about what you want in a mate, well then you have options. You can dream big, scour the earth for that ‘perfect man’ and have fun whilst doing it. And you will probably find him.

Meanwhile across the railroad tracks, on the Black side of town, Black women just want a man who has a job, ain’t living with his mama and doesn’t have more than one baby mama. And sometimes we’re just hoping for one out of the three. We wish we could worry about something as trivial as back hair. Is this fair? No. But as Earth, Wind & Fire sang, That's the Way of the World. So as Black women we are often times left lacking the same dating options. And it’s starting to piss me off.

As a professional, college educated woman, I am looking for someone of that same caliber but am continually coming up empty handed. And as a means to ease my pain, Essence & Co. publish those infamous “The Man You Never Thought You Would Date”, or “Have You Considered Dating A Blue Collar Worker?” articles. What? I don’t wanna. Is that elitist? Yes, just a little but I don’t hear anyone tell White college educated women, “oh you can’t find someone on par with you, have you thought about dating the bus driver? You know they make good money too girl and they have job security.” Oh yeah that’s right, they don’t have to. Cause they have options.

Case in point, I love watching Sex and the City but do you realize how many men those women ran through? And they still complained that they couldn’t find the ‘one.’ Oh he was slightly effeminate and had a fear of mice, Charlotte kept it moving; oh he liked to watch porn whilst they were having sex, Miranda kept it moving; oh he loved her so much and asked her to marry her but Carrie just didn’t feel the same way, so she kept it moving. Why? Because they had options. It’s a television show, you say. Yes, but it was written by white folk and mirrors the dating experiences of white women who learned early on that if they don’t like the lawyer, then a doctor is right around the corner and if that doesn’t work out then mama’s going to find her a stock broker. They keep it moving because they can. And it’s just not fair. *Sigh* But it’s the way of the world.

When I was in undergrad, I took a class called African American Political Thought Since 1865, or Black Thought as my friend and I called it. One day we discussed feminism vs. womanism and how womanism came out of Black women’s rejection of feminism. Why’s that? Well professor explained that the basis of feminism was that white women wanted to be more than their husband, children and job. To which I replied, “Shoot, that’s all a Black woman wants.” Tell me I’m wrong. Tell me a Black woman ain’t happiest when she has a huzband, some kids and that good government job. Well and Jesus, but let’s stay focused…It seems that often times as Black women we want what may seem to be the bare minimum because we are lacking the options to have something better.

Often times it seems that professional Black women, shoot Black women in general are scraping and fighting for the same man. Believe me I’ve watched enough Judge Mathis, Joe Brown and Divorce Court to know that it’s all kinds of Black women fightin over a man who ain’t hardly no good. This is mainly because they don’t see any other viable options. And I’ve gone to enough Black bougie functions to see 10 women to every man, with women clawing to find the few straight men out of the bunch. Because we don’t see any other viable options. I suppose logic tells us to expand our horizons, to date outside of our economic and educational class and dare I say even our own race. But sometimes I wish it weren't so hard. I wish there were a level playing field when it comes to dating. But there isn't. And unfortunately, that's the way of the world.

that beesch is eatin' good

A friend and I were recently discussing child support. Not in the i'm-tryin'-to-collect-mines sense but in the girl-you-see-how-much-so & so-has-to-pay-now sense. She seemed to think Take-dat take-dat having to pay over $19,000 a month was way too much but I didn't really have no kinda sympathy for his 5-kid, 3-baby mama havin' ass. But the convo got me to thinking...

Should there be a mandatory maximum on child support payments? Is there some upper limit at which we, as a society say, aw hell to da naw! That's way too much for one guy to pay each month to one woman whom he happened to sleep with without a condom?

Why is it that we applaud the average woman takin' her allegedly triflin' baby daddy to court to collect that $250 a month to help pay the daycare bill. (and why are daycare prices so off da chain...can we get some regulation of that industry) But when the tables are turned and the man is a mega millionaire there is suddenly an outpouring of pity and support for the poor sap who now has to pay $29000 a month to his baby mama (or mamas if he gets around like that).

Jermaine Dupri has an interesting take on the situation.

"Someone in my position has to take care of his child and his baby mama. It's a point of honor that you set them up in a house, pay the bills, and give the mother of your child a monthly check so she can stay home and look after your baby. You've got the money so there's no excuse. In this industry, if you don't look after your baby AND your baby mama, you're an asshole. It's a code that makes guys like me a target."

-Young, Rich & Dangerous, The Making of a Music Mogul (2006)

Basically if dude is making that much money, ain't no reason his child and baby mama should want for nothing much less have to haul his ass to court like this guy, or this guy (just to name a few). I think JD has a point. If you got it like that, don't you want your kids (and the person takin' care of your kids 24/7) to have it like that?

Yet, the argument always circles back to vilify the woman (notice how this also seems to happen in other situations i.e. rape--why was she over to his house at 3am?; kidnapping--why she out in the street so late by herself?; Video vixen/stripper--why she think shaking that ass/swinging on a pole is a legitimate way to pay for school?) but back to jump offs...the thought is that this chick is getting rich off her ass just cause she laid down with (insert famous Black artist/athlete/celebrity here). How dare she! She should be made to work. She shouldn't get to shop all day, blah blah.

Sounds like a bit of hateration in that kool-aid ya'll dranking. Yea yea you all can say now, as you hustle your independent woman self to work each morning, that you wouldn't be able to just sit around all day, you'd have a job or something... gurl stop!

You'd take that 28k a month and keep it movin. You might not literally sit on your ass all damn day but you damn sure wouldn't be working your current 9 to 5 (at least not on a everyday 9 to 5, 6 or 7 o'clock basis). You might dabble here and there in your current profession, do some charity work, etc. but you'd focus on raising your child into a productive adult.

Now, granted there are some jump offs who take their life of leisure to a whole nother level.
Like this chick Willie Gary hooked up with. I mean, come on. Don't go spending the cheese willy nilly like you ain't got no sense. But even in that situation can we really advocate for a mandatory maximum given the facts? His dumb ass initially voluntarily agreed to pay that much (prolly to keep her ass quiet). And according to a quote over at sandrarose.com, the amount he pays per month as a percentage of his yearly income (a whooping $13 million per year) equals out to a guy making $130,000 a year paying only $280 per month.

Marinate on that shit. Puts it in perspective, doesn't it? Not to mention that his ass has yet to see his son and daughter since birth.

With the amount of money that these guys have, why shouldn't they pay (or be forced to pay) these women a percentage to take care of their children. They laid down with these jump offs, with no trojans or magnums on the nightstand, with no thoughts to the consequences of what that phat piece of ass would cost them in real-life dollars nine months later. So now you wanna cry, "This is ridiculous, I need a mandatory maximum please Mr. Judge suh." Naw shawty, it don't work like that. And with all that bread you laying down for that chain, that car, that mansion, that white party in the hamptons, are you really hurtin for it? You feedin' cousin pookie nem, your "personal assistant/bodyguard," and his whole family, why not feed your flesh and blood and the woman who gave birth to junior/juniorette?

But that's just my opinion...what's your thoughts on a mandatory maximum for child support?

"She supposed to spend it on that baby but we see she don’t
Ask ask Paul McCartney the lawyers gettin sloppy
Slaughter slaughter of them pockets, had to tie her to a rocket
Send her into outer space, I know he wish he could
Cause he payin 20K a day, that beesch is eatin' good
Like an infant on a double D, beesch is getting plump
Cause he miscalculated the next to the last pump"

--Big Boi, International Player's Anthem

Scary Business -- No I'm for real. . .

Happy Halloween!!!

Now on to scary business. . .

Can black folks be American Gangsters?

Per Marc Jacobson, "Ever think we'd go down in the history books?"

I mean have we truly folded into the American experience? The Irish did a la Kennedys, the Italians did too evident by their Godfather trilogies, and now us?

Ever since BET launched their second season of American Gangster -- I'm like whoa-- they really found more black folks lives to chronicle on television -- it's amazing and baffling all at the same time. Last season, "Mr. Untouchable" aka Leroy Barnes was featured on the series debut.

This season we have New York's Finest part deux: Frank Lucas.



BET gives love to B-more with Melvin Williams; and even Chocolate City (although 10 years from now we'll be calling it cafe au lait -- more about how that came about another day) gets some action too. So, D.C. has Rayful Edmonds III and the snipers???
I'm still debating whether I agree with the series assertion that the snipers are gangsters. BET's series features the D.C. snipers, which means the pair or more so John Muhammed could very well go down in the American lexicon as gangsters -- huh??

Hmmm. . . interesting if you ask me.

I have to admit to you all I'm already biased when it comes to my opinion on black folks being "American Gangsters" -- I'm like Whitney -- "hell to the naw". My whole outlook on those who dwell in the underground is more like American dummy, but that's just me. Folks who empathize with the underworld, tend to only consider them dummies when they get caught. In my mind a dummy is a dummy, there are no clauses.

The New York Magazine recently featured an interview moderated by Marc Jacobson, Lords of Dopetown. This article provides an exchange between Leroy Barnes and Frank Lucas -- its downright creepy if you ask me. The Harlem duo discuss street code of conduct, "the good ol' days", and their outlook on the new cats. Retrospectively, Barnes sounds very disturbed -- as if he understands now that his crime wasted his life. Au contraire, Lucas sounds like he is stone-cold chilling, assessed his past life and accepted it for what it's worth and is keeping it movin'.

"Ever think you'd go down in the history books?" will ring true some day for these guys. . .

Not sure what the verdict is on black folks being American Gangsters, but with an Academy Award winning actor (Denzel Washington) playing that very role, knowing his performance is sure to bring all the depth and drama needed to portray such role -- November 2nd may just change my mind.

Stay tuned. . .


Cheers,

Bellini