OpenEntrance - What’s Really Going OnWhat’s Really Going On

Kanye West was the big winner at the BET awards show that aired last night in LA. West brought home the Best Male Hip Hop Artist as well as Best Collaboration with T-Pain on their Good Life Track. T-Pain was funny as hell when he walked to/from the stage in slo-motion enjoying every minute of the spot light. I was happy for them both, but really appreciated T-Pain’s speech as he explained, “Two years ago I couldn’t even afford a ticket to get in here maan, thanks to the fans…” Lots of folks hate on T-Pain, but that dude is on every hott radio song out these days-he’s brilliant and adds a lot to hip hop music. Read the rest of this entry »

Looking through some of the pics from the 39th Annual NAACP awards that were held last night and this pic hoped out at me. Not sure why she does not get many acting gigs anymore, but Rudy Keisha Knight Pullman is no longer the kid we watched growing up.

Growing up has treated her well!!

BET held their 1st annual BET Honors awards over the weekend and the winners were:

-Entrepreneur. Janice Bryant Howroyd, CEO, ACT*1 Personnel Services

-Corporate citizen. Richard D. Parsons, chairman, Time Warner

-Education. Cornel West, professor of religion and African-American Studies, Princeton University

-Media. Tyra Banks, executive producer, America’s Next Top Model and The Tyra Banks Show

-Public service. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif.

-Entertainment. Alicia Keys, singer/songwriter

Alicia Key’s said “For me, I’m just a girl still from Harlem, and here I am, It’s a tremendous feeling to do what you love and for people to love what you do. … People are honoring me for doing what my heart tells me to do, (and that is) so fulfilling.”

As far as I know, Richard Parsons is the last remaining Black Chairman of a Fortune 100 compnay. He was previously CEO as well, but stepped down from that post at the beginning of the month.

 This will be one of the few decent shows that you can tolerate on BET.

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Is what fell through my household as Eddie LeVert, Gladys Knight, Yolanda Adams and Patti LaBelle paid tribute to the late, great Gerald LeVert. I’ll be honest, I’m not big on award show performances these days. Mainly because I get tired of watching rappers prancing around stage and I can’t understand a single word they’re saying. And singers who can sing and dance, but can’t do them both at the same time (Usher and Beyonce are about the only ones I can think of that can). After years of that it just gets old. The BET Awards, however, always forces me to tune in because I know there will be at least one memorable moment, if not more, worth watching for. And last night, for me, it was the tribute to Gerald Levert.

As I looked on, I sat in complete silence as an unforgettable tingle ran through my entire body. I watched four great singers pour out their love for a son, a brother, a friend and a true singer. It made me reflect a little on what music used to be and what it is now. I’m not saying that everything out there these days is a mess, but if you can “wipe me down” while my “Krispy” self says “A Bay Bay…” well I think you know what I’m getting at.

Is it fair to call Gerald LeVert a legend, I don’t know. If not now he will be in that category one day. He always held it down whether he was “Just Coolin” or answering his “Private Line.” And Gerald LeVert didn’t have a problem telling his “Baby Hold On To Me” or admitting that he wasn’t much on “Casanova.” What he did was without a doubt music that made you dance or grab hold to the one you loved, and his sound will be missed.

Thanks BET for that tribute. It was obvious that Gerald LeVert touched so many of his peers and fans alike with his music, personality and unforgettable smile. It’s a shame he had to go so young, but he will not be forgotten…missed but definitely not forgotten.

Now that I’m done laughing, did I hear that correctly that 50 let the “world” vote for which song he was going to perform? And Amusement Park got the most with over 100,000 votes. You gotta be kiddin’ me!!!  How many of those votes came from outside of his camp is what I want to know.  I’ll be honest, there was a plus to his performance.  And that is…I was not watching in real time…I DVR’d the show.  Believe me when I tell you there’s not much better than watching a 50 Cent performance in fast forward.  I enjoyed it so much I did it twice.

Mo’Nique did a hell of a job of introducing Diddy last night, but once he hit the stage I for one was extremely disappointed. Why is that you ask?!

Was it the old school MJ leather Jacket? No…that wasn’t it.

Was it the half ass dance routine he did? No…that wasn’t it either.

How ’bout the subpar verse by Lil Kim? Nope, that was expected.

So it must’ve been Keyshia Cole’s less than average singing? Anybody that thinks her singing was less than great is lunchin! In fact, had she done that set on her own it would’ve been all I can ask for and more.

My problem was with Diddy, Puffy, Milli, Vanilli, whatever he wants to call himself, lip syncing his parts. Let’s be honest, I don’t think there’s a person in the world that thought he could sing. He would’ve been better off doing an old school “Puff Daddy” routine, spinning around, making noises in the background and let Keyshia Cole do her thing. I guess he was too engulfed in trying to make the 4th band that he forgot to come up with a Diddy-like performance at last night’s show.