If i had this...i'll never walk again....

...you'll see me drivin this mufucka thru the dairy aisle. If i got a fly piece like this y should my feet have to touch the ground again?!?!?!
“The Bugatti Galibier Concept was just unveiled in all its glory at the conclusion of the company’s 100 year celebration in Molsheim, France. This vehicle is designed to be “the most exclusive, elegant, and powerful four door automobile in the world.” And it looks like it has accomplished its goal. That said, the President of Bugatti indicated that this concept is just one of several models the company is considering going forward.” Check out more images here.

Gladys Aint Got No Love for Hip Hop?

"R&B Legend Gladys Knight doesn't like rap music. While promoting her role in the new Tyler Perry film 'I Can Do Bad All By Myself' the 'Heard it Through the Grapevine' singer took the time to voice her disdain for rap, claiming that the music has negatively impacted the black community due to its vulgar and disrespectful vocabulary.

It's been bad, in my opinion, as far as the quality of the music and the stories that they tell. It's one thing to be raw about your history, but they took it to another level and it became vulgar," Knight said.In addition to finding rap generally distasteful due to its lyrical content, Knight also criticized the quality of the musicianship, contending that hip hop has never "elevated our industry musically.

"Her main concern, however, is the effect of the music on the black community. "It definitely has not elevated us as African-Americans, because we show disrespect for our partners, men and women," Knight explained. "I believe we have lowered our self-esteem with these performances and presentations."

The legendary vocalist has been sampled by Wu-Tang Clan, Lauryn Hill, Ice Cube and Big Daddy Cane, and is currently prepping a European tour in October."

Via Boombox

Before i start, i think it's easy to say that if ur a follower of my blog that u should know what my opinion is going to be. I love Gladys Knight and I respect the body of work that she's compiled over the past 50 plus years, however I'm tired of older generations bashing Hip Hop music and culture.

I'm more than sure that Gladys Knight much like (ahem) Oprah is basing her opinion on Hip Hop out of ignorance. She sees the gang signs, scantily clad women and violence at the Source Awards; but overlooks the good that rappers bring back to the community by way of nonprofits and charity organizations. She doesn't see the rappers that aren't heavily egotistical, gaudy and chauvenist (Stalley, Lupe, Canibal Ox, Jean Grae, Super Natural and a slew of other enlightening emcees). Most of the time the most "destructive" of these rappers are the ones to bring these things back to the community.

Great example of , Mississippi bred emcee David Banner. Banner's biggest hit to this day is more than likely "Like a Pimp" from his mainstream debut, Mississippi. The next single was "Caddilac on 22s", a socially conscious and rather political track in which he paints the picture of the south over lighly laid guitars, bass kicks and cow bells. He touches on poverty, racism, desperation, and the hardships that one is more than likely destined to take on as a balck in the deep south of America. In all actuality that song got the Emmit Till case re-opened. David is a college grad and holds a Masters Degree and gives a nice lump of his royalties to charities for kids to get toys, for families to be fed and for kids to get scholarships; "Like a Pimp" (the more destructive of the two) brought in the money for such. "Caddilac on 22s" didnt.

So i guess we can say that in Hip Hop there exists a Robin Hood theory amongst these artists; they destroy a little bit to give back something bigger to the people in exchange for an opportunity to live a better life. Whether Robin Hood was right or wrong is up for debate, but fact of the matter is Robin was a humanitarian much like 50 Cent (g-unity), Nelly (fo sho fo kids), Ludacris (Ludacrismas and a ton of other organizations), Snoop Dogg who coaches little league football and Rick Ross who gives school materials and clothes to less fortunate Florida kids.

Gladys, Vagabond luvs u, but nothing can establish a clear understanding if there's a biased opinion. All Hip Hop isn't hoes shakin for dollars, cocaine and gunplay (and i luv that kinda rap). It seems that you look past the fact that Styles P can shoot shyt up his whole album, but then give you a reality check on a track with Pharoah Monch or the Roots. It seems that you couldn't look past the Niggaz and Fuck the Polices that NWA screamed back in 1988, and in not being able to do so you missed how political Ice Cube and the rest were on a subconscious level.

Instead of talking at these rappers, try talking to them. I'm more than sure she could sit down and have an intelligient talk with The Game, T.I. and 50 Cent....after all you do take checks from these niggas when they decide to sample you....yet i digress. I luv you, but don't be ignorant.

Vagabond...gone

God Damn Kanye

ur still a dickhead for wut u did to that lil girl, but ay u still got sumfin nice in ur palm.....there's nuffin better for me to blog about

Suspect Found in the Yale Murder

This is sumfin i kept a bit of an eye on. I figured that it would be a murder from jump street, but didn't wanna outrule it as a kidnapping or anything before i knew for certain. Her murderer was a co-worker and was also a lab technician. He was charged with Murder. He has yet to enter a plea. Annie Le, the murder victim, was a graduate student at Yale University. Her body was found on Sunday, September 13, 2009; the day that she was scheduled to get married.

Read the story i'm reacting to at Yahoo News

R.I.P. Annie Le and may justice be served

Vagabond...gone

Pet Peeve: Express Grocery Lines

Two days ago after a good workout, me n my boys went to the Giant to buy groceries. I don't really want too much of anything, just some 2% milk so i can rehydrate wit a bowl or 2 of cereal. After i grab the half gallon carton i make my way to the line....the express line, where only 3 people are in front of me. All with their carts filled with about 20 real ass grocery items and i think to myself....that's not express.


Pardon me if i'm wrong, but i don't think 15-20 items should be concidered express. That's enough to last you for the week. As i sat there and watched errbody wit these full ass carts in the express line in comparison to me with this one lil carton of milk, i wondered who designed the guidelines for this line and if they had a thesaurus when they did it. My whole thing is if i'm behind 3 people in the "express line" i shouldn't have to stand in line for more than 5 minutes. While it's takin everybody else about 5 minutes a piece to get their stuff rung up, bagged and paid for; I was in it out in like 45 seconds (if that long) when i got to the front of the line.


If ur gonna create sumfin and name it after the ideal it's based on....then make sure the damn ideal fits the reality of the situation....jus sayin, i coulda sat in the regular line for all that. Maybe, im just impatient....but i'd assume the EXPRESS line was for the people that didn't have enough patience to wait in the REGULAR line. Epiphany, lower the express line to a five item limit or sumfin, i mean damn. I don't want to hang around a grocery store. I just want to buy my XXL mag, milk, or whatever single item i grab and be able to get thru an express line.....expressly.

Vagabond.....gone

Serena.....nuff said

Baby u even fine when you sweaty from gettin in shape (drooling)

My Prayers Have Been Answered

"First of all, thank you for your support and kindness in regard to Maia (My-ee-ah) Campbell. Last night I received a wonderful email from a friend of her late mother, Bebe Moore Campbell. Nancy Carter, executive director of NAMI Urban Los Angeles (NAMI Urban Los Angeles (NULA) is the urban affiliate of NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness), thanking BlackWeb20.com for the coverage and the compassion shown towards Maia. Nancy alerted me to my error and explained that Maia has been diagnosed with bi-polar/manic depression. And because substance abuse is involved she has co-occurring disorder, which has symptoms similar to schizophrenia.
In short, Maia is mentally ill and has a substance abuse problem.
Nancy returned my phone call to her and shared some important and good news: Maia is in treatment. And she said that there is hope for Maia’s recovery but the prayers of “50,000,000″ people can make the difference, because Maia doesn’t like to stay in treatment, and her treatment involves drug withdrawal as well as treatment for her disorders.
Nancy was awestruck by the wonderful comments left on our site and by the general outpouring of support. She asked me to tell you that Maia’s disorders are exasperated and sent out of control by substance abuse. Pre-existing and early onset bi-polar, clinical depression and schizophrenia can be sent out of control by marijuana (the worst culprit), alcohol and of course, synthetic and street drugs.
Maintain your hope for Maia’s recovery. Nancy said, “She can use her beauty, talent, and celebrity for the good of others.”
Visit NAMI Urban LA’s site to view a tribute video to Bebe Moore Campbell, co-founder of the organization.
Email Maia well-wishes to maiastruth (at) blackweb20.com"

Via: Black Web 20

My Response to the Maia Campbell Videos

In recent days a new video of Maia spazzin out in a car (of which i am not posting for dignitary reasons) has surfaced on the internet (aside from her topless singing video a while back). After watching the video it's easy to cross judgement on her and make her out to be a monster and a nasty person. However, what many people don't know is that Maia Campbell (daughter of author Bebe Moore Campbell, whom i've had the pleasure to meet b4 her passing) has a mental illness. Her mom's memoir 72 Hour Hold is based on her relationship with her daughter (in the book she isnt identified by name or relationship) and the effects of her illness on the family, their relationship and the harsh reality that surrounds Maia's world.

I'm not exactly sure what she has, but fact of the matter is for anyone to consciously play onto sumone's disabilty is sick, disgusting, despicable, deplorable and flat out wrong. How dare you? I, for the record, do not suffer from a mental disorder; never in my life has it been a reality to me until about a few months ago, upon discovering that someone very close to me suffers from the hardships of a mental illness. I value them the same and in return i gain trust and i see that little by little they're gaining strength and overcoming hurdles that their disorder throws in their way, and despite setbacks i see them get frustrated....dust off and try back to climb their mountain in a hope to one day hail from the top with a sense of accomplishment in knowing that they made it.

Maia's situation, may be a little different from the person i'm familiar with, but i'm left to wonder where her family and friends are to help her. I realize that this is a hard road to trailblaze alone, and if any of my readers have done so i commend you, for i see that even with a support system its still not easy. The cautions that they face are still very much prevalent and risks are still high.

My heart and prayer goes out to Maia Campbell (and anybody else in her situation) in wishing that she becomes healthier and stays safe from the monsters that are mental disorders. In the meantime y'all should do the knowledge and learn to see people for who they genuinely are before beginning to pass judgement. It's not fair to anyone to have to deal with those kinds of pains while we (yes, we) run around ignorant of someone else's reality and assuming the kind of being they are. We should all take a moment to remove ourselves from ourselves and take a look at the world in third person, as far away from personal biases as possible and then maybe we'll discover a key part in unity through mutual and genuine understanding.

Vagabond...gone

and to my friend, everything will get better. iLove you