We belong to the same family. Watching "I Want to Work for Diddy" for a while now, I've realized that P. Diddy and I share some of the same characteristics; we share a similar work ethic or approach to what we do.
It's called workaholism, and I'm not particularly proud of it. In fact, I'm trying to change it a bit. But that still doesn't negate the fact that when it comes to work, Diddy and I are beyond first cousins -- we're brother and sister.
Don't believe me? Just check out some of his famous sayings -- "Diddy-isms":
1) Either go hard or go home. (Ew, I love this...)
2) Make it happen. (a.k.a. "Make a way out of no way.")
3) "Life is not a game. Only the fittest and most aggressive will survive. Sleep is forbidden. A second cannot be wasted. Once seconds are lost, you lose. And losing is for losers."
Another case in point: Diddy's metaphors for life, like his comparing life to hustling (not the negative side, of hustling someone out of something, but the positive side, of hustling harder or working harder and striving harder to get to a certain goal), or his comparing his career to climbing a mountain (an on-going journey).
What about people's characterizations of Diddy: He 'throws a million things at us at once,' and 'he wants things how he wants them'.
Or, how about Diddy's own description of himself: I 'start my day...flying at the speed of light.' And, 'some people say I have a very strong or intimidating energy...Well, that energy is "I play to win," and the people who are full of it are scared of me.'
Don't get me wrong; Diddy and I don't share everything in common. He's far more optimistic and materialistic, and I have problems with his insistence that he's spiritual yet his clearly carnal music and music production and lifestyle. Not to mention I have absolutely no fashion sense, and Diddy is a fashion guru. But when it comes to the work ethic and the mindset about success, the drive and the blunt honesty, and the lack of tolerance for a disease he calls by a name I can't say, I swear, Diddy's my 'brother by a different mother.'
Monday, September 29, 2008
Saturday, September 27, 2008
"Lakeview Terrace"
Last night I went to see the new Samuel Jackson and Kerry Washington movie, "Lakeview Terrace". It wasn't great, but it wasn't bad either. It was "Training Day" meets "Twelve Angry Men" meets "Crash". As always, Samuel Jackson's performance was on point, but the rest of the actors and actresses didn't stand out. The most intriguing thing about the movie, outside of Jackson's acting, was the courage of the storyline to explore the race theme.
Sorry to be the spoiler, but the movie's about a Black cop whose late wife cheated on him with her white boss (you find this out near the movie's end, but the formulaic plot makes it obvious from the first minute of the film). So, his grudge against interracial couples leads him to make the lives of his neighbors (a white man married to a Black woman) a living hell. Michael Keaton's "Pacific Heights" performance was much more thrilling and believable, but Jackson's character (Abel Turner) combines wit and cynicism with the psychopath mentality. What was disappointing was the mixture of religious fundamentalism in Jackson's character - not necessary, from my view.
But back to the theme of race. The best part of the movie, to me, was the portrayal of the difficulties that this interracial couple faces due to America's poor legacy of race relations. We're used to seeing TV and film portray white bigots, but this movie turns racism on its head and makes the Black lead character the one who's racist. Yeah, I know the old line that Blacks can't be racist because we don't have power (we can be prejudiced, though, since prejudice is an attitude); I just don't buy that bullcrap. And the scenes where the white husband is tired and frustrated at dealing with the mistreatment he receives because he's in an interracial marriage, and the Black wife tells him he has no idea -- no clue -- of how exasperating it is to deal with racism -- now those scenes are priceless. As are the innuendoes that some whites' adoption of "Black" mores might be rooted in an identity crisis of their own or a desire to experiment with the 'exotic', and the double standard Black women face when they date white men -- the stigma they encounter that isn't there when Black men date and marry white women.
Though "Lakeview Terrace" lacks the suspenseful depth and believability of, say, a "Pacific Heights", or the well-written script of a "Crash", it does have the courage to unearth some of the issues that come with race relations in America. I just hope movie-goers are up for the "courageous conversations about race" this movie sets the stage for.
Sorry to be the spoiler, but the movie's about a Black cop whose late wife cheated on him with her white boss (you find this out near the movie's end, but the formulaic plot makes it obvious from the first minute of the film). So, his grudge against interracial couples leads him to make the lives of his neighbors (a white man married to a Black woman) a living hell. Michael Keaton's "Pacific Heights" performance was much more thrilling and believable, but Jackson's character (Abel Turner) combines wit and cynicism with the psychopath mentality. What was disappointing was the mixture of religious fundamentalism in Jackson's character - not necessary, from my view.
But back to the theme of race. The best part of the movie, to me, was the portrayal of the difficulties that this interracial couple faces due to America's poor legacy of race relations. We're used to seeing TV and film portray white bigots, but this movie turns racism on its head and makes the Black lead character the one who's racist. Yeah, I know the old line that Blacks can't be racist because we don't have power (we can be prejudiced, though, since prejudice is an attitude); I just don't buy that bullcrap. And the scenes where the white husband is tired and frustrated at dealing with the mistreatment he receives because he's in an interracial marriage, and the Black wife tells him he has no idea -- no clue -- of how exasperating it is to deal with racism -- now those scenes are priceless. As are the innuendoes that some whites' adoption of "Black" mores might be rooted in an identity crisis of their own or a desire to experiment with the 'exotic', and the double standard Black women face when they date white men -- the stigma they encounter that isn't there when Black men date and marry white women.
Though "Lakeview Terrace" lacks the suspenseful depth and believability of, say, a "Pacific Heights", or the well-written script of a "Crash", it does have the courage to unearth some of the issues that come with race relations in America. I just hope movie-goers are up for the "courageous conversations about race" this movie sets the stage for.
Saturday, September 06, 2008
Fine Black Men
Okay, am I hormonal or something? This weekend I've been thinking a lot about the beauty in the Black race, esp. when it comes to brothers. Here's my list of the finest Black men on the planet:
Tyrese
Morris Chestnutt
Brian Mcknight
R.L.
Joe
Noel Gourdin
Bokeem Woodbine
Montell Jordan
Denzel Washington
Michael Jordan
LL Cool J
Michael Jai White
Blackstreet – all but one
the list goes on and on...
Tyrese
Morris Chestnutt
Brian Mcknight
R.L.
Joe
Noel Gourdin
Bokeem Woodbine
Montell Jordan
Denzel Washington
Michael Jordan
LL Cool J
Michael Jai White
Blackstreet – all but one
the list goes on and on...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)