The second edition of Black in America, “Black in America 2”, on CNN kicked off with a pre-show called “Moment of Truth,” in which several black figure heads talked about those who were inspirational to them.

This pre-show was probably the best part of Black in America 2.

The pre-show coincidentally framed Black in America with a conversation about the situation with Henry Louis Gates, the Harvard professor who was arrested for disorderly conduct because of an erroneous call suggesting someone was breaking into his house, which of course was the home of Professor Gates. The live audience echoed the sentiments of many black folk, who saw that incident as unfair, unjust, and just another symbol of the institutionalized police force continuing to practice either racial profiling or Billie-club law.

And that was about the only thing on CNN that intrigued me last night, as Black in America failed to adequately address a single issue, in-depth, throughout its entire 2-hour documentary.

The Black in America 2 “documentary,” basically told 4 different stories. It started off with the wife of Chris Rock, Malaak Rock, and her organization that provides kids with a trip to South Africa as part of a year-long physiotherapy process to give young, inner-city, Brooklyn kids a perspective on life that will hopefully change their lives. It was a great story, and it would have been perfect for 60 Minutes.

The next story was about a black principal in Hartford, CT who started a charter school for inner-city, black children. Through his direction, hands on participation, and fatherly-like presence at the school, he has managed to get every graduate of his school into a 4-year college upon graduation. That guy proved he could truly work miracles, and this story should have been on CNN Heroes.

Another story on Black in America 2, the first installment of it, was about a privileged kid and his lifestyle. The story started off talking about how said kid was treated negatively by whites and differently by blacks, because of his background and a semi-dual-consciousness, I suppose. It then digressed into a story about the black bourgeoisie, where this woman denied that she excludes people from her events because of their finances, but that she only excludes people if they aren’t “apart of the group.” That’s a great story, but it certainly isn’t one that effects most black people—not yet anyway.

Lastly, they had a story about the founder of Management Leadership for Tomorrow, and how he founded MLT on the premise that there needs to be more black people in boardrooms and business schools. It’s a great premise, and it would have been a great piece in BusinessWeek or Black Enterprise.

So while all of the stories in Black in America 2 were quite interesting, none of them were complete, none of them explained any dilemmas, and none of them spoke to underlying issues in the systems that continue to negatively affect the black race here in America.

If you’re going to tell a bunch of stories, then put them in news magazine shows, such as 60 Minutes and 20/20, and make them the feature stories they are supposed to be. However, if you’re going to make a documentary claiming to tell the story of “Blacks in America,” then be a documentary, not just a emotional tug boat.

A documentary is life told in story form. A documentary should have a “beginning” and an “end,” even if they are the same thing. But it can’t be a flat line, full of stories after stories, more or less pointing to the same problem, which is what Black in America 2’s first installment was.

Dziga Vertov says a documentary is “life as it is.” Pare Lorentz says it’s a factual film that’s dramatic.” I say a good documentary is like a good movie; it has an underlying meaning, it takes that meaning head on, and it is has no choice but to face that meaning before the movie is over.

Black in America 2 has done none of that thus far. Even in trying to tell “life as it is,” it failed to look into reasons as to why some of its most appropriate leads in the story are who they are. Yes, the show documented successful black leaders and the people that followed, but the show didn’t talk about where these people lived and how where they lived effected them. The show presented us with generic cases, which I understand are easier to find, but if that’s the case, and the producers could only get the people they got, then why not dig deeper? Why not explore into why there are so many people who fit into one fledgling category?

Black in America 2 needed to look less into where some people are going, and more into the journey it takes to get there, and why some people make it, and why some people do not. In discussing the principal and the charter school, the show didn’t come across students who weren’t graduating, nor did it look at any students who have already graduated and how they’re doing. Nor did the show look into the backgrounds of students who were new to school. The whole thing, while incredibly touching, had the depth of a 7th grade yearbook feature, and I expect more from a year-long project from the best television news source in the business .

What Black in America fails to do is talk about the journey. The show is so predicated on not burying the lead, and keeping the prominent black faces in front of the camera, that the show does not show the systems, people (both black and white), and entities holding back blacks in America.

I’m sure the ratings will warrant a Black in America 3, because I will watch it, if not only for the great discussions that I derive from it, but also for an insight into how the rest of America perceives Blacks in America. But in the future, I hope Soledad O’Brien will tell the story of how black people get from one place to the next, how they got there, what held them back, what pushed them forward, and what is or is not keeping them there. And that could be the story of a grad school professor or a high school drop-out, but it must be the complete story in order for people to really know what it’s like to be Black in America.

Earlier, I said that a good documentary is like a good movie. And to further my point, a good movie isn’t just about the story, but it’s about the characters, both the protagonist and antagonist. Those people make the movie, so their characters, their backgrounds, their stories must be divulged to the rest of the audience. And when that doesn’t happen, you don’t have a good movie; you don’t have Titanic, Batman Returns or Citizen Kane, you just have Bruno. No more Bruno, Soledad…please!

What in the hell happened to the Arsenio Hall Show? The famed show of the MTV generation was abruptly canceled in 1994 due to low ratings. (Ok, not actually. The show was actually canceled due to a controversial interview with Louis Farrakhan, which led to various corporate complaints, boycotts, and advertising losses, which ultimately led to Paramount’s cancellation of the show. However, that is a story for another day). With the absence of that show, there is no preeminent black talk show during the late night hours, and that is not okay.

I know that the hallways of production companies are littered with failed black late night programs; VIBE’s late night show, Magic Johnson’s show, Keenan Ivory Wayans’ show, and currently running (but not so popular) Byron Allen’s show. None of these shows ever experienced the type of success that Arsenio Hall did. However, Hall was a pioneer. He brought black entertainment and hip-hop acts to the mainstream. And because his show and his acts were so well perceived, he forced other late night performers (mainly, Jay Leno and David Letterman) to give way to more black entertainers and musicians.

Currently, black people do not have any late-night hosts that look like them on television. Instead, mainstream media has littered the late-night waves with host that resemble the audience they are going after: 25-45-year old men, which explains the latest career bumps to NBC’s Conan O’Brien and Jimmy Fallon.

However, what about the newest MTV generation, or the Millennials, if you will? They are not necessarily drawn to the Leno’s and Fallons of the world. In fact, they would flock to a guy like Arsenio Hall if he wore on late-night television doing something of interest to their generation.

I know what the typical response to a black-themed form of media is: “There isn’t a market for it.” However, I don’t think that’s the case here. You mean to tell me, that an entire race of black people, in addition to a very diverse population of Millenials isn’t out there for the taking during the hours of 11:35pm to 1:30am? I’m not saying it would be an easy demographic to attain, as there would be a huge fight with niche cable channels and what not, but the later the show comes on, the less competition there would be, and I think this is a battle that the right host, and right network could win.

I don’t have an idea for a host, as I will leave that up to you all. Nevertheless, I do have an idea as to what network should go ahead and run with this idea.

Of course, it is Fox! I know. I’m not the biggest fan of what they’re doing with their cable-news channel either, but their lack of any weeknight, late-night programming, means their stations already have a market they can try to capture, and let’s face it, most of the off-the-wall shows are already on Fox: The Simpson’s, Family Guy, American Dad. Quite frankly, the people who watch those shows are probably the target audience for a young, hip-hop genre talk show featuring a black host. Hell, such a show would do a whole lot better there than it would on CBS (too old of an audience) or ABC (too much of a family oriented channel).

With Fox in mind, why don’t those of you who were once fans of the Arsenio Hall Show, chime in, and tell me who you think would be the perfect fit to be the next black, late-night TV host. I will throw my own suggestions in the comment section as well.

Music is a firm part of black culture. When this nation was founded and built on the backs of black slaves, music was one of the few things that slaves could indulge in despite being mired in poverty. Fast-forward to modern-day music, and music is not so free anymore. You either have to pay for songs on iTunes or buy CDs, and at the very least, listen through endless commercials to hear maybe 1 or 2 of songs you actually want to hear every hour.

For me, a more important issue than the cost of music, is who owns it. Except for Jay-Z (who recently bought the rights to most of his music), most Black music makers don’t own their music anymore. We have sold ourselves to “the man.” It started with big contracts in the 40s, 50s and 60s, and now black creators of music don’t even get those anymore, and now musicians are just relegated to a few pennies on the dollar and some passing fame.

Black music makers must take back the industry. And I don’t mean everyone go out there and make deals with P. Diddy. Instead, make independent music, and be the indy-music creator that you have always been.

When I say independent music, I am not talking about signing with an independent label. Artists who sign with any record label never should have gotten mixed up with the term “independent artists.” That’s not being independent, that’s just signing with a pocket-sized version of the major labels. Independent music is really when the creators own their own music. Moreover, if black people really want to take back the industry, especially in terms of the hip-hop, rap and R&B genres that we created, then being independent music makers, in the true-sense of the term, is our only option.

So listen up music-makers, you have to start thinking like entrepreneurs and take your heads out of the clouds for a few seconds. No one is going to come save you and make you a superstar. That happens for less than 1% of the artists out there, thus making it an unrealistic dream for the most part. So why go out into the world and make your own success.

Pay for your own CD production. If you can’t afford to make thousands of copies, make a few hundred, or a few dozen, and sell them yourselves at your live performances, out of the trunk of your car, and at mom and pop shops.

Hire your own distributors, too. If you have the popularity to sell CDs on a mass level, then call distributors and make it happen. Go to the Wal-Marts of the world, iTunes, Rhapsody, and make it happen. Utilize your ability to sell yourselves, as you do all of the time when you sell your creative flare to your audience.

And take advantage of the internet. There are so many ways to spread your music that it is ridiculous. Get involved with all of the social media applications. Post a viral music video on YouTube.com. Host a podcast where you replay your performances or concerts, and where your fans get to know you by calling in. Talk to bloggers and the like to get your name out there. There are so many artists using the internet to make very decent careers for themselves, but frankly, I think the number of them that are black music makers is very low.

But I know what you’re thinking: you don’t have the money to compete with big boys. And you’re right. You are not going to become an overnight success to the extent such that American Idol turns out famous singers at the snap of their fingers. But you can compete with the big boys over time and on a local level. American Idol singers can be on TV two times a week, but you perform live and in front of somebody’s face 7 times a week if you have the time. So get in front of your local audience. Perform for community groups, charities, and kids hospitals. Go get on the radio, community access television, and try to spark up deals with local businesses to see what type of media events they are willing to sponsor.

Then once you have had some success, start saving your money and utilize your power and popularity. Once you have figured out how to do muster up local support, use your extra funds to become even bigger locally, or to expand regionally, statewide and nationally. And utilize your popularity to perhaps make deals with indy or major record labels. But don’t give them the rights to your music. At the most, give them a small percentage on the basis that you do not need any upfront money, just marketing and mass distribution assistance. And if they don’t agree to your terms, “F’em!” Because you control your own music, and that’s the way you intend to keep it.

But what if you don’t make it that way? What if you try to go about it yourself and the success just never comes for you? Well, so be it. Did you enjoy making the music? Did you enjoy trying to turn your music into not just a living, but a lifestyle? Then who cares if you don’t make it. There are worse things in life besides playing music and owning the rights to it without becoming rich. It’s much better to own your creation and be a middle-class worker doing something else, than it is to have made wildly popular music, only to see very little reward from it, going broke a few years later, all the while some record label continues to make money off your original song.

If you will recall, I critiqued the good and the bad about the new “reality” series, Harlem Heights. In my critique, I mentioned how good it was to see a show about young, black people making their way in the world. I also talked about how foolish it was to put young, black people on television when they seemed so snooty and superficial. Well, it turns out; having the proper mix of those two ingredients makes one hell of a television show.

First, let me curb my own enthusiasm. While I certainly don’t want to miss an episode of Harlem Heights, it’s not as if I can’t live without the trivial drama, love triangles and unnecessary arguments—hell, there is enough of that in my own life. However, those types of things are a part of real life. And when you put those things alongside the pursuit of commendable aspirations, larger undertakings and internal struggles, what you end up with is REAL LIFE.

Granted, I don’t know how much of this show is acting and how much of it is real. I don’t know if the characters on the show get paid for being on television, or if they are just happy being exploited for the purposes of BET’s bottom line. All I can do is use what I see on television to make my judgments about the show, and from what I have seen, the show is all good.

One of the women on the show, Bridget Bland, who is a law student and the narrator of the show, reminds me a lot of myself. She takes on many different tasks in an attempt to challenge herself and make headway into many different industries. She’s a little too involved in the dramatic events of her friends’ lives, as not much of her own personal problems make the air. However, she’s so involved with others, there’s a good chance that her friends’ problems are as far as her personal issues go.

Then there is Christian Grant-Fields, who comes across as the pretty-boy with the dream job as an editor at a basketball publication. He seems to do pretty well with the ladies, but he is always running into the trouble with them, as well. The producers don’t focus all that much on his job, which is a shame, because giving black people a chance to see a young man participating in the world of sports without actually picking up a ball is something that needs to be done.

Pierre Downing, a former college basketball player who just moved to Harlem, is also representative of the inspirational side of the show competing with the drama of the series. He is really trying to find his place in New York City and in his life, and really wants to make a difference—somehow. In the mist of him trying to figure out exactly how he might start making a difference, he gets involved with a young woman that ends up lip-locking with his boy, Christian. It’s yet another tale of the black love triangle, which ends in yelling—as per usual.

To touch on just one more character representative of both the trials of life and good intentions, let’s focus on Brooke Crittendon. If there is an antagonist on the show, it is Brooke. While her and her “frienemy” (Ashlie Gray) seem to have equal blame in their dramatic escapades, Brooke comes across as the more vindictive, selfish and (quite frankly) discourteous of the two. That said, she also brings up the fact that she wants a lot more out of life and that she wants it now, which would lead one to believe that she is either headed towards something big, or that she is a complete slacker. Of course, only time will tell.

All and all, the show sits well with me. I will admit, episodes 3 and 4 almost led me astray, as I was thinking about never watching the show again due to its “Laguna Beach-like” focus on drama-drama-drama. However, the show has since rebounded, and it appears as if the goals and aspirations of these young people are going to be a big part of this show, and I’m looking forward to seeing those broadcasted to millions (okay, it’s BET, so let’s say thousands) of people.

What in the world has my man Travis Henry gotten himself into?

According to a reports, Travis Henry, former Broncos running back, has 9 children with 9 different mothers.

That’s right. It wasn’t enough for him to produce 9 children before the age of 30, but he had to make each child with a different woman. In the report, Henry says it was the old “I’m on the pill” ruse that made him a victim to the game, but any brotha with half of an education should no better than to that.
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Is black the new flavor of the year?

It’s a question that clearly has been raised as President Barack Obama has ascended to the highest of offices. Immediately following his election, we saw toy-makers trying to dub the Obama girls, we saw in increase in the number of black models, and every major broadcast and cable station is airing black specials like crazy—even more than they typically do in the month of February!

It’s great that this is happening though. Not because it demonstrates the elimination of racism, because it doesn’t. But this sudden display of adulation for blacks and black culture does raise the volume on the conversation of race in America, and that is a very good thing.

Many people were turned off when US Attorney General Eric Holder said that Americans have acted cowardly when it comes to addressing the issue of race, but I agree with him wholeheartedly. Race is not talked about in our classrooms, in politics nor even in the courtroom where it should be most present. Instead, we reserve issues of race for black churches and black television and radio shows, where the conversation is usually one-sided and held at a shallow level. Race needs to be discussed openly and honestly. Race needed to be addressed during the campaign, in the schools and between all races, not just those that feel oppressed.

And this sudden fancy for black culture gives us the opportunity to do just that. With America suddenly open to involving blacks in a number of things and viewing blacks with an entirely different perspective, now we can really address the issues.

As for why black is the flavor of the year, it’s quite obvious. Barack Obama is the President of the freaking United States. That title makes him the #1 role model in the country, so people follow his lead. And naturally, because he is the President, people are enlightened to his style, personality and swagger. Whether it’s okay that people relate his own style to “being black” is a question for another day, but the fact is that many do, and black culture is benefiting from it. Let’s just hope we use it to our advantage.

Okay, so I just finished watching Harlem Heights. In case you haven’t heard of it, it’s a new show on BET highlighting the lives of several black individuals living in Harlem. These individuals are described by the show as being a part of the “young black elite” and the reality show chronicles their mid-20’s lifestyles and all of their “trials and tribulations.”

After watching it, I have to admit, I was entertained. I don’t know if it was because of the unique national display of 7 to 8 black people get along, or if it was because I felt like I was watching the black version of Laguna Beach and couldn’t contain myself from laughing. Either way, I’ll probably tune in next week and the week after, and then every subsequent week that it airs (assuming that it does make it past Week 3). Afterall, far be it from me to complain about the lack of positive black figures on television and then not tune in to the budding example of them.

I am not so into the show yet that the names have grown on me, but the characters are certainly interesting people. I believe you have one woman going to Law school, another man striving to be an activist/politician, then there is a lifestyle editor, a fashion designer, an actress and a non-profit entrepreneur. Those are definitely respectable career pursuits, and it’s also a very diverse mix of careers at that.

But the characters’ jobs aren’t chronicled all that strongly, at least not yet. Instead, we see their interactions with one another, and they seem to get along fairly well—at least as well as you can expect young twenty-somethings to get along. They go out to party, eat, and even celebrate the election of the 44th President of the United States. They seem very close for a group of people that is seemingly patched together, either because of the show or because of geography.

So I definitely like the people (thus far). However, the format of the show is probably what will turn me off. It’s hard to watch a reality show where the characters are so seemingly scripted. I know I can’t prove that it’s scripted, but given the nature of some of those conversations, the timing of some of the conversations, and other tid-bits (such as the long pause Landon’s father gave in the 1st episode), I can’t help but think that this is but yet another semi-reality show with not as much real substance as it’s cracked up to be.

Nevertheless, for now, Harlem Heights has my attention, as I will be faithfully watching and rooting for this positive black experience on television.

We truly do have to start mentoring our youth.

I’m as guilty as the next person though. I don’t donate nearly enough of my time trying to help our youth make headway into the world. As a semi-successful, young, black man, I have a lot to offer a young boy or young girl in pursuit of a better life than that of their parents’.

Many of you are the same way. Chances are, if you are reading a blog, on the internet, in your respectable apartment, on your respectable computer, via your hi-speed, wireless, internet connection, then you are probably at least semi-successful just like me. And just like me, you should start thinking about doing a little more for black youth.

What can we do?

There’s a lot of things. And while you could start by signing up for Big Brothers, Big Sisters, you need to take it a notch above that. Not only should you become a big brother to someone, you should become a dedicated mentor. Take a child under your wing, teach them the very same techniques and methods you used to raise yourself up from the ghettos or lower-middle class status.

And be concerned for that kid. Don’t just teach’em and leave’em. Be around…constantly! Get on them like a parent, because there is a good chance that they don’t have a parent that will.

Specifically, you should start by teaching a kid the importance of grades. Parents are not usually equipped to do this as much as someone from outside of a youth’s household. Mom and Dad aren’t likely to say, “You see this gold watch, I got this because I studied.” But you can say that, or anything else that might motivate a kid to study.

Ask them what they want to be, and do your best to explain to them how they can achieve it. The reason so many black youth never adequately pursue the professions they desire is because they cannot envision how to get there. Think about it this way, you probably want to become a senior executive, VP or President at the company you work for—don’t you wish someone would tell you exactly how that’s done, or at least give you an example to learn from?

Well, do that for a kid. Teach them that if they get certain grades and pursue certain activities, they can get into a certain university, and they can get a certain scholarship or loan. Teach them that their ability to talk and meet people can lead to a job, or that continued excellence in school can lead to a graduate program, Master’s or PhD.

Now certainly, teaching a kid about education is the key to life, but you also have to show them that living your life is just as instrumental. Show them the activities that you participate in. Whether it’s the Blackonomy book club or an alumni event, show them the other side of life. It’s very likely that a kid from Bedstuy New York has not attended too many balls, literary events or Broadway shows and 5-star restaurants. And if those are the types of things you do, or if you do anything of note at all, show your mentee those things, so that they can begin to see a life different from everything they know.

Sometimes I think back, and I wonder how I was different from all of the kids I lived with when I was in the poorer parts of the country during the better part of my childhood.

You know what I came up with?

I realize that I had two parents that were really young (my Mom was 20 when she gave birth to me), who had all of the young fire and idealism in them that I, at age 24, have today. Being able to see that every day, watching them study as they finished undergrad and grad school, and seeing them have goals that they, for the most part, eventually reached was a very important part my foundation in this world, and it was perhaps the difference between me and a lot of the other kids I grew up with.

So share that same young enthusiasm for life that you have. Your education, work and lifestyle can have a profound effect on our youth, and it could be the difference between someone growing up and continuing the cycle, or someone growing up and starting a new and better one.

Barack Obama may not have the time to create a college football playoff system, but maybe another aspect of sports is worth the attention of the 44th President of the United States. There is a huge aspect of sports that is a big reflection of where we are as a country. You see, even in a nation that is fresh off inaugurating its first black President, it’s amazing that we still find it difficult to let black people coach our collegiate football players. In NCAA Division I-A football, there are only 7 black head coaches out of the 119 teams. That means that slightly less than 6% of head coaches are black, while well over 50% of football athletes are black. What does that add up to? Discrimination! Read more…

Today is a new day. Today starts Barack Obama’s first day on the job as President of the United States. And just as the Presidents who have come before him, President Obama’s legacy is likely to be greatly defined by what he accomplishes in his first 100 days in the Oval Office. The populous as a whole will look to see if he keeps the promises he made during his campaign. However, I think I speak for a lot of black people when I say that his first 100 days will tell us a lot about the promises he didn’t verbalize during his Presidential campaign.

Throughout Obama’s candidacy and transition period, you probably heard a lot of people in the media talk about how Obama’s election was more than just about black people, how all Americans were taking something from his election as President, and how Obama would only speak to issues of the nation and not just the Blackonomy.

Well, that was nice and all, but let’s be real…

Barack Obama is this nation’s first black president, and black people (at least me anyway) would be outraged if he didn’t take some initiative to rectify the unfair treatment of blacks in this country. And in my opinion, he should make that initiative apparent in his first 100 days.

Now, before some of you get all wound up. I’m not talking about reparations or anything outrageous. I’m not asking Obama to go stand on his soapbox and cry about how black people have been unfairly treated for 400 years. That’s not his job. He’s the President of the United States, and in that position, his priorities are to look out for all Americans, not just black Americans. Leave it to other people to rant and rave over the conditions of black America. As for Obama though, his contributions to the black community don’t have to be as boisterous.

However, just because his contributions don’t have to be vociferous, does not mean that his contributions shouldn’t be influential. Seriously, if come the end of Obama’s time as President, Lyndon B. Johnson is still considered the President who had the most positive legislative effect on the lives of blacks in this country, then I would have to say that Obama’s presidency is a failure.

At least that’s my opinion.

So what should he do?

That isn’t really for me to say. Sure, I could suggest that he look into what ways we can enhance affirmative action, raise graduation rates, and get black families into homes of their own. But the truth is, there are a million different things Obama can do to improve upon the lives of blacks and help close the racial gap here in America. It’s just a matter of him deciding what he wants to do, and how deep into it he wants to go.

But he must do something. Because even if he raised incomes, increased jobs, fixed the economy and brought peace to the world, I don’t think I could come to appreciate any of it, if the first black President didn’t do something significant to help give all blacks the same opportunities he was afforded and assist in ridding of racial inequality in America. Because Barack knows better than anyone that not all blacks are born into a position where they can be as successful as he has become. Sure, anyone can go from rags to riches, but not everyone can. A story like Obama’s route to the Presidency is a one in a million chance, just like becoming an athlete, rapper, or actor—except it’s even harder.

Nevertheless, I expect Obama to make it more likely for blacks to become teachers, lawyers, doctors, and businesspersons. I expect Obama to help increase black enrollment in colleges. I expect Obama to help make it easier for blacks to buy homes. I expect Obama to help make this a country a place where a black baby born in Bedstuy has the same chance at life as a white baby born in Manhattan. Sure, he can’t do it all by himself, and he surely can’t do it in just 4 or even 8 years. However, he can help us get to that point. And whether or not he or you agree with me, racial equality in America will—to some extent—define Obama’s Presidency. I just hope Obama knows that, and I hope he address the issue in his first 100 days—just so I know that he and I (and you) are on the same page.