TheLoop21.com

Fantasia is no Angelina Jolie

by fpride
I like Fantasia. It’s hard not to. Even if you’re not moved by her raspy voice, her story is touching. Illiterate, single teenage mother wins over America in a ridiculously competitive talent show. You know how much this country loves its talent shows. Since then, she’s written a book, done Broadway, and landed her own reality television show. If that’s not the American dream, I don’t know what is.

But then Fantasia went and made the fatal mistake of trying to be a real person. With faults! Like us. Caricatures are easier to digest. We like simple.

And she didn’t become any real person. She turned into a female one, who, judging from media coverage and large public opinion, lacks morals and does the unthinkable: steals another woman’s husband. Allegedly.  

Why Queen Latifah's Sexual Orientation is None of Our Business

by BlackVoices
On Friday, an image surfaced of Queen Latifah and her rumored long-time lover Jeanette Jenkins hugging on a yacht near France. The two were celebrating the nuptials of Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz but ended up reigniting the rumor mill: Is Queen gay? If so, why doesn't she just come out?

Run, Tell That!

by Tara Conley
As one who is all about media making change, I can’t help but comment on the latest viral video phenomenon that features Antoine Dodson, the brother of Kelly Dodson, of Huntsville, Alabama. Kelly was nearly raped in her home in Lincoln Park projects late last month. She woke up to an unidentified man climbing in her window and into her bed.  Antoine told WAFF-TV that he heard his sister screaming from the living room couch. When he entered his sister’s bedroom he saw the perpetrator’s hands around her neck. Fortunately, the Dodson family avoided a very dangerous situation and was able to tell their story publicly.

Obama’s message to Essence Magazine readers

by China Okasi Mad...
Two history-making moments happened not too far apart from each other. President Obama became the first sitting president to appear on a daytime talk show (The View), and Essence magazine hired a white fashion editor.

The Dream's views on fatherhood are skewed

by Crystal P. Smith
The Dream can officially be branded as scum. Of course we all know about his recent infidelity scandal and the way he tried to lie about it in the media, but his character has been more accurately displayed in a recent interview with Essence magazine. In the article, he talks about his daughter Violet and his role as a husband with a brand new baby at home.

Essence asked: Do you help Christina out when you're home? 

The Dream: I don't because my "helping out" turns into expectations. I'll get Violet on a late night maybe one or two times, but after that, no. If Christina's tired, call the nanny, call Violet's granny. We got people.

Dr. Boyce, Al Sharpton and Bill Cosby on Black male athletes

by Crystal P. Smith
I don't always agree with everything that Bill Cosby has to say. I've listened to him speak and sometimes wanted to ask him what he'd been putting in those Jell-O Pudding Pops. All the while, I've gained a a tremendous amount of respect and appreciation for Cosby as he provides a perspective that I think many in the African American community need to hear.

In fact, the reason I love Cosby the most is that he reminds me of my father, a man with whom I often disagree but who challenges me to consider an alternative point of view. Cosby's no-nonsense approach to solving problems in black America makes sense on the surface, but it lacks the insight necessary to understand the intricacies of solving a 400-year-old problem.

Miley Cyrus is a gangster now?

by fpride
If it wasn’t for my six-year-old niece, I wouldn’t care about a Miley Cyrus, let alone watch her performance at the Canadian MuchMusic Video Awards.

 At first, it was Miley’s one piece bra/short ensemble (which was also quite tacky) that made my face twist in judgmental concern. I became more distressed observing the young girls screaming in the audience while plotting how they could score a similar outfit. 



Then Miley attempts to gyrate without hips. 

Of course obligatory questions sprang up: why does this young woman think she has to sell sex for attention? The oversimplified answer followed: because we live in a society that dictates her value through its own sexual obsession and she doesn’t yet know her own resistance. 



Happy Birthday Tupac

by Crystal P. Smith
It's been just about 14 years since the death of rapper-poet-actor-activist Tupac "2Pac" Shakur. In honor of what would have been his 39th birthday we've put together our top 10 2Pac songs, which wasn't easy, considering he's a legend.

Eminem and Rihanna perform 'Love The Way You Lie'

by Crystal P. Smith
Eminem's new album Renegade drops June 21 and one of the most popular songs on the album thus far is his single with Rihanna Love the Way You Lie. Here they are below performing the song live. Interesting that Rihanna chose to do a duet on this song- she's definitely still reeling from her relationship with Chris Brown.

Check out the video below: 

Jealous that Willow Smith has more confidence than you?

by Crystal P. Smith
How is it that at Jaden Smith's movie premiere for The Karate Kid, the biggest story was, his sister, Willow's outfit? Are people jealous that a 9-year-old has more gumption and self-confidence than they do?

Granted it's not the typical "little girl" outfit or even the typical movie premiere outfit, but instead of celebrating a little girl with major guts, the media makes fun of her? In an age where kids are forced to grow up so quickly and adhere to the confines of acceptability, (whose I ponder?) does individuality stand a chance? Does it really matter what Willow decided to wear to her brother's movie premiere? She isn't dressed inappropriately or too old for her age, actually I'd argue that, more than anything, Will and Jada might have been concerned about her passing out from heat exhaustion.