Russell Simmons Apologizes, Working w/ Harriet Tubman’s Family to Do Documentary

Russell SimmonsSo two days ago music mogul Russell Simmons shocked the world when he announced that him and Dreamworks and a number of other media partners had formed a new movie company called All Def Digital... A few hours after that announcement Russell then tweeted that folks should peep a new project that he found ‘hilarious’. That project was a ‘sextape diary’ of freedom fighter Harriet Tubman..

In what was deemed a parody with the actress playing Harriet Tubman,  dressed up to look like Aunt Jemima. Tubman is shown seducing her slave master while another slave hiding in the closet films her having wild and wanton sex.. She then is supposed to Blackmail the slave master unless he allows her to run the underground railroad..Needless to say folks flipped out and went after Russell like there was no tomorrow..

Within two or three hours Russell had all copies of the video removed and has since been apologizing. Yesterday he sat down with TV One’s News One Network to explain his position. You can peep that story at http://newsone.com/2683757/russell-simmons-harriet-tubman-interview/

Russell also announced that he has since been in touch with descendents of Harriet Tubman, personally apologized to them and agreed to work with them on a documentary about her life..Below is the News One Interview..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnwDKcpc1RE

As Russell gets underway with working on this documentary, folks may wanna familiarize themselves with Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad.. Here’s a couple of pieces that folks may find helpful..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJqEbMlkb_I

Here’s a documentary on Harriet Tubman called Quest for Freedom

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1zYjh8UA60

What the Hell Is Russell Simmons Thinking? A Parody Sex Tape of Harriet Tubman?

Russell Simmons

Russell Simmons

I’m at a loss for words..earlier today, rap mogul Russell Simmons who has been in a war of words with CNN Anchor Don Lemon for accusing Black folks of being their own worst enemies to systemic racism, has sent out this video.. Normally I wouldn’t give this the time of day, but when you’re a 50 + year old man who is deemed a success story many should aspire toward, then this can’t be left unchecked..

I sent Russell a quick note to see if his account was hacked.. It has to be.. I just can’t believe he would co-sign this.. especially after all the flack that erupted around Lil Wayne making disparaging sex laden remarks about Emmett Till and Jay Z calling Harry Belafonte ‘Boy’.. I’m at a loss and have come to the conclusion , there is a class of Black folks who have lots of resources but should be written off..  But below is a screen shot of his account with the video which hopefully he will remove pronto..If he doesn’t middle finger to Russell on that one.. To women out there, please note that there are many brothers who don’t co-sign this.. There are many who do not hate our sisters that we would joke about this.. Too many of our sisters were rape while enslaved…. There is No excuse for this….

And No Russell has not hit me back on this.. I’m hoping his account was hacked but the video says otherwise..

Russell Simmmons Harriet Tubman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzwwpQhSdk0

 

Lets Go Beyond Hallmark Cards & Brunch to Honor our Mothers…How about Justice & True Equality?

This mother’s day if we wanna honor the mothers in our lives & around the world how about we END the poverty so many mothers are experiencing?…

We can honor the mothers in our lives and around us by ENDING the abuse of women.. We can start by not calling women out their names. Talk about giving a gift to the mothers of the world, try to forever ban the word “BITCH’ from your lips.. Looking back at how many men got bent out of shape at the notion Jay-Z was pondering taking such action and how relieved they were when he said he would still be calling women bitches,  I would say erasing that harmful word from our lips when referring to women, might be a gift of the ages..

Lets make this a mother’s day where we uplift those mothers around us who are in dire straits i.e Marissa Alexander the Florida woman sentenced this week to 20 years for defending herself against an abusive husband is one name that comes to comes to mind..But there are so many others. How about all of us take a firm stance against domestic violence. Let’s create a climate where the mothers in our lives can feel safe, and free of such a heinous act.. If your a man who puts hands on women and you’re running around giving out mother’s day cards.. how about you get some help.. serious help?  Try calling this hotline.. and stop the damage you’re causing 1−800−799−SAFE (7233)

Today lets comfort the mothers in our community who are in pain..Many have lost precious children to violence i.e. Sabrina Fulton who is Trayvon Martin‘s mom.. Rekia Boyd‘s mom, Alan Bluford’s mom, Oscar Grant‘s mom.. These are just a few of the countless who lost children to police violence..Can we make a commitment to help ease their pain? Can you join in their public and private fights to seek justice?

We must not forget the moms who live in our community who are in pain because of the senseless violence we inflict on each other.. How about we make a commitment to end all bloodshed as away to honor our mothers?  Forget the Mother’s Day card.. How about we go all out to affirm life? Let’s end war in our hood and war overseas. Let’s convince our government to stop sending drones that result in the deaths of mothers..Let’s encourage our government to pressure countries that we do business with to stop the practice of rape as a weapon of war.. How about we end female genital mutilation? Let’s end the mass incarceration of women and the shameful deportation and detention of mothers from their children…Those would be some serious gifts that would honor the mothers who struggled for such aims in the past and presently and would benefit from it greatly in the future.

Let this mother’s day be one in which we end the ‘war on women‘ If we wanna honor moms lets stop allowing them to be political punching bags for those unscrupulous politicians who would sell their souls for political gain vs doing whats right by the mothers in their lives. Do the mothers in your lives have health insurance? Are they working 2 & 3 jobs & still not making it? Are these moms making the same wages as the men around them? Are they being abused? Let’ honor our moms by ending those sorts of shortfalls.Here’s great article that came out this morning from Alternet outlining 11 things we can do to really honor Mother’s Day.. 11 ways to Really Help Mothers This Mother’s Day

This mother’s day let’s make a commitment to change the world and make room for our mothers to truly shine, be respected and loved and more important have a seat at the table.Lets honor all those heroic mothers from Harriet Tubman to Fanny Lou Hammer to our own moms who tireless sacrifice, put up the good fight day in and day out to help bring us all brighter tomorrows

As we close out here are two Mother Day mixes that’ll hopefully help all feel inspired this Sunday..One is by myself..(Davey D) the other by DJ Sloepoke out in LA.. the links are below..

Below is the mix by DJ Sloepoke.. you can peep it HERE

http://thesoundstrike.podomatic.com/entry/2012-03-10T19_19_08-08_00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTq84OWZc6Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkrdiABTcaI&ob=av2e

An Open Letter from Singer Sinead O’Connor About Trayvon Martin, Racism Pop Culture & Music

Singer/ activist Sinead O’Connor just penned a powerful piece about Trayvon Martin, Racism, Loving ourselves and Hip Hop Music… It comes from her blog which is located at: http://sineadoconnor.com/

Here’s what she wrote the other day:

I would like to extend my very deepest sympathies to the family and other loved ones of murdered teenager, Treyvon Martin. I am very sad today (and am certain the whole of Ireland is) to learn of poor Treyvon’s terrifying ordeal and horrified by the fact his known and named and admitted killer has not been arrested, despite the crime having taken place a month ago. This is a disgrace to the entire human race.

For those out there who believe black people to be less than pure royalty, let me inform you of a little known, but scientifically proven, many times over, FACT. Which after reading, you will hopefully feel both very stupid and very sorry. For you dishonor your own mothers and grandmothers.

EVERY human being on earth, no matter what their culture, creed, skin colour, or nationality, shares one gene traceable back to one African woman. Scientists have named it ‘The Eve Gene’. This means ALL of us, even ridiculously stupid, ignorant, perverted, blaspheming racists are the descendants of one African woman.

One African woman is the mother of all of us. Africa was the first world. You come from there! Your skin may be ‘white’.. because you didn’t need it to be black any more where you lived. But as Curtis Mayfield said.. “You’re just the surface of our dark, deep well”. So you’re being morons. And God is having the last laugh at your ignorant expense.

If you hate black people, its yourself you hate. And the mother who bore you. If you kill or wish ill on black people, its yourself you kill and wish ill on. As well as the mother who bore you.

When you dishonor the the utter glory and majesty of black people, you lie. Your heart lies to you and you let it. Despite seeing every day, all your life, how you and your country would be less than wonderfully functioning and inspiring to the world, without the manifold and glorious contributions made by the descendants of African slaves, who did not by the way actually ask to go to America and leave their future families there to be disrespected for eternity.

What are you doing hating yourself by hating your brothers and sisters who daily show you nothing but inspiration and love, despite having NOTHING, in their own country? Despite having barely a chance of anything, because of racism. Despite being granted no ‘permission’ for proper self-esteem.

These beautiful people continue to believe in and even manifest Jesus Christ better than you do. That alone could stand as the greatest reason your racism is blasphemy, were it not for all the other reasons.

These people you hate and fear ARE the body of Christ, just as we all are. Every child, woman or man. And they know it. Maybe thats why you cant bear to look at them. Because you see Jesus Christ and you cant stand the light.

Stop this ridiculous and uneducated attitude. You would be dead without black people. Think of all the greatest music ever composed. The greatest songs. The greatest inspirational heroes.. Muhammad Ali, Mandela, Martin Luther King, Harriet Tubman, Soujourner Truth, Bob Marley, Nina Simone, Curtis Mayfield. So many absolute angels, sent from God.

Without the inspiration of these people many millions of so-called ‘white’ people, including myself would not have had the strength to pay the price of life.

And black youth in America. I’m talking to you here too. I love you. So I don’t mean to sound cross, I’m just being a mother.. Why are you killing each other? Why are you hating yourselves? You are the most important people God ever sent to this earth, every man, woman and child among you! Don’t let uneducated people win and take your self-esteem or your esteem for each other, and make you kill each other. over guns, drugs, bling, or any other nonsense.

You are now entering YOUR version of a sort of civil rights movement and you’re gonna see history being made in what has certainly the profoundest potential to become THE most wonderful country on earth. Because soon ALL ‘isms’ and ‘sits” will end. including racism, as the people of the earth begin to understand, we are all one.

We came from one mother. We are all brothers and sisters. And we CAN get beyond this ILLUSION of separateness. With prayer and love. It CAN change. It WILL change. And YOU guys (young people of all kinds) are the ones who are gonna GENTLY change it. And you know where it starts? With MUSIC.

Don’t be guided by rap. Gangsta or otherwise. Sure.. enjoy it.. adore it.as I do.. but realize this.. rap ain’t about your civil or spiritual rights, baby boys and girls. It.. along with most music nowadays.. is about falsenesses and vanities. Bling, drugs, sex, guns and people- dissing. Its giving you the message you ain’t ‘good enough’ if you don’t have bling and ting.. and money. Or if you’re not what it deems ‘sexy’.

(This is true of all popular music not rap alone. I know. Its tragically true of all popular youth culture the world over).

Poor Curtis Mayfield must be crying all day and night ALL day and night in heaven, every day and night.. To see what has been so successfully achieved by those who sent guns, drugs, and bling to squash the civil rights movement. Now you all don’t have to be murdered by racists any more.. you’re murdering each other FOR them! And your parents and grandparents are left crying.

Go back to strong black musical guides who left you information in the 60s and 70s. when they were living through the civil rights struggle. Curtis Mayfield. The Impressions. Nina Simone, Mahalia Jackson. Sing back the Holy Spirit ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, as those artists did.

Forget bling. Forget “Get Rich Or Die Trying”. That is an evil message. Evil my dears is only life backwards. Turn it the right way up. With music. The messages American black youth are being given through music are not about the spiritual and therefore strong and conquering but PEACEFUL making of YOUR country into the wonderful place it secretly is and can be.. BECAUSE OF YOU, and BY YOU!!

You know not how you are adored, appreciated, valued, loved, cried for,smiled for, prayed for, all over the world. You know not how much inspiration and uplift-ment of heart you give to millions just by your presence on earth.

These musical guides will give you self-esteem. When you have self-esteem you can achieve anything. You can stand in the street as many did yesterday and change your country peacefully and with song. Chant down Babylon as the Rastas say. Rastafari will also give you self esteem. Investigate it.

You will notice, my beautiful sons and daughters, when you study, as you must, footage of all civil rights gatherings, how singing and music and sound and voice and the Holy Spirit were all employed and were so much part of the energy which moved things along.. just as running was in the South African gatherings I saw on tv in my own childhood, which inspired me to survive my own horrors.

What you listen to musically and whether or not you employ the Holy Spirit’s highest will for your life is whats gonna make you transcend all you’re having to suffer (the worst of which is low self-esteem.. or esteem based upon material ‘success’ or ‘sexiness’)) as a result of being the descendants of people who didn’t ask to be stolen and leave you where you are. Delete bling. Get conscious with your music. Demand conscious music from your artists. Go back to the artists who left you proper guidance.

This is some serious stuff and we (all manner of musical artists) are too silent on matters of enormous spiritual importance. Lemme ask you.. Jayzee and Eminem et al. Why was it always the black people only worked in the post rooms of record companies, which was always in the basement? Why was it that as each floor went up the skins got paler till it was fuckin ghosts at the top? And all us artists.. even me.. said nothing? Those buildings (record companies) always struck me as being a microcosm or painting of America, racially speaking. Christ almighty.. if its like that in the music business how is anything ever going to change?

We, musical artists are too silent on important stuff. And it is our job to be the gate-keepers of truth. ALL the people of this earth must come together eventually and see that we are one. ALL artists must stand up. Black, white, yellow, green, pink, fucking polka dot.. and be a light in these times.

The world is going to shift massively this year.. spiritually speaking. Musical artists are to be a massive part of that shift. Get up, lets all of us. And light Jah fire.. and BE lights.

Where’s the fire gone from music? Where is the love? the oneness? The knowing that music CAN and WILL move things in the right spiritual direction without hatred or violence? We must box clever. Sing the devil to sleep at your feet. Thats what Curtis teaches. He is the master of ALL musical masters. forget, forget, forget and forget again bling and guns and drugs and the worship of fame and money. Its time to wake up. We KNOW the power of music. Why aren’t we using it to change anything important?

Musicians all over the world should now gently demand this child’s killer be arrested immediately and the family of Treyvon Martin be immediately apologized to upon bended knee. Frankly. I myself would like an apology! America is a country I love and adore. what this man has done is un-American in the most horrific extreme.

Him not being arrested is extremely embarrassing and does absolutely NOT paint the true picture of of a country and a people who for the 90% majority are the kindest, most loving, intelligent, and wonderful people you could know.

Please.. ALL Americans should deplore this crime. As should ALL people of ALL nations. And deplore the fact this man has not been arrested. All Irish people should do the same. And I ask that we here in Ireland should express through our American embassy that we would like to see this man arrested this very minute. Because racism is not acceptable. Nor is vigilantism. And this was very clearly in no way at all a case of self-defense.

I leave you with some lyrics of Curtis Mayfield’s which I feel are appropriate for this situation. I am certain Curtis would have wanted to contribute to discussion on the issue of Treyvon’s murder and the condition of young black people in America today.. so here goes.. the song is called This Is My Country.. from the album of the same name.

Some people think we don’t have the right
to say its my country
before they give in
they’d rather fuss and fight
than say its my country
I’ve paid three hundred years or more
of slave-driving sweat and welts on my back
This is my country

Too many have died in protecting my pride
for me to go second class
We’ve survived a hard blow and I want you to know
that you must face us at last
And I know you will give consideration
shall we perish unjust or live equal as a nation?
This is my country.

written by

-Sinead O’Connor-