The above tweet was referring to Ivan Johnson of the Atlanta Hawks… proud member of the B.I.W. (Black Ivans of the World).

So what’s the old saying? You learn something new everyday. Yes, well I guess that I learned last night that amongst the other things that Black People don’t do, wear, say, play or participate in… they don’t name their male children [gasp] Ivan. Yes, I know there are not that many of us around, but we are a proud bunch we Black Ivans lol!

So if you are keeping score with me at home let’s see what is it again that Black don’t do according to the rules set forth on the back of your “Black Card” (it’s the fine, fine print.) (more…)

No this isn’t an editorial concerning Diana’s 1983 hit “Mirror, Mirror” no this is mainly a small commentary on an oft-repeated meme that is mostly connected to the genre of Hip Hop music but from time to time is co-opted for other musical genres. What I wanted to discuss for a few lines this evening is the concept of the music as a mirror of society.

The mirror is innocent, it only reflects what is in front of it no more, no less. For better or worse some mirrors(translation:celebrities) are magnified more than others… sometimes that can be a good thing and other times that can be a not so good thing. Ultimately, we can only be responsible for our reflection, but we can choose how we light our rooms that house our mirrors. That light embodies all that we consume, what ideals we subscribe to, who we choose to support politically, socially, culturally… maybe the litmus test for the light that we choose is to determine how much love is contained in the filament that allows it to
illuminate.

Here we often challenge the music and the message to be “Grown” which in my estimation simply means responsible, not perfect but responsible. I mean why would you willingly give support let alone money to anything or anyone who would label you as less than? No need to go into the room to question the mirror as to why or why not, just turn that light off.