What former R&B hit-maker with once-long-flowing now shorned locks has relasped again into booze and cocaine abuse? His former label shelved his last album (and a self-release has yet to become available), because the brave but troubled singer dared to sing not only about his female lovers, but a male lover as well! Openly bisexual to friends and those in-the-know, the heartthrob hasn't been lucky in love. A New York source tells TNU exclusively:
"He was dating a European model for some time, and she broke his heart. [Crooner] always seems to be the one getting left. I know he recently fell into a severe depression, which was followed by some serious party boy habits. If you look at him you can tell. He looks worn these days."
Sad. And The New Urban loves this guy, too...
Blow the whistle, y'all...
Monday, January 7, 2008
WHISTLEBLOWER: THE UN-FORTUNATE CROONER
Serving Miss Hillary: A Slave Narrative
No, seriously... we do.
Bill was the first President to actively give people of color a high profile presence in his White House Cabinet and lip-serviced black people to death about his crusade for Civil Rights (though he never did sign that Civil Rights Bill by the way). Because of our excitement for being invited to sit at the benevolent massah's table, many black people - rich and poor alike - have developed a best-friends-forever bond with the Clinton legacy.
But, let's consider a few facts. While Clinton remarkably balanced the United States budget by his second term (::golf claps::), over in Black America we saw poverty spike, violent crime almost triple and watched HIV and cancer-related deaths increase while those of other groups fell.
But every now and then Bill would eat a piece of fried chicken in public or, even better, throw us a party. Yay!!!
And, honestly, the only thing that can really prepare you for being President of the United States is being President of the United States. Period.
Also consider that we're voting for the President of the free world -- a world that's seen a lot change since 1992. And hasn't a commitment to "changing" guards always been the strength of American democracy?
Writer Trey Ellis on Hillary:
Hillary: You're the opposite of George Bush. He is the smiling incompetent, you're the stone-faced hyper-competent. A good friend of mine who worked for you and your family calls you Tracy Flick, Reese Witherspoon's brittle, brown-nosing character running for school president in the movie Election. It's probably already too late but you need to become a real person again. There is some crazy realty show coming on where this guy tries to deprogram beauty queens and turn them back into real women who no longer wave with just an upright, cupped hand. You need someone like him to get you dressed down, hair loose and let us know from the heart what you dream about for the future of this nation. Listen to Obama's magnificent Iowa victory speech. Don't talk to us about fear of the unknown, talk to us about the magnificent new American century that you would like to share with us.
Source -- HuffingtonPost
Stay tuned... Stay urban...
Friday, January 4, 2008
BARACK OBAMA: THE NEW URBAN ORDER
The TNU crew was celebrating DOWN last night.
Our candidate, Barack Obama, took the Iowa primary by an incredible margin, sitting Hillary Clinton's entitled, double-talking ass back in her seat. And he did so in one of the "whitest" states in our nation.
Who cares what your minister says (Al, Jesse, ahem, kill the noise)...
Don't you think?
Stay urban....
UPDATE: BRING CHRIS STOKES TO JUSTICE!
I told you that Ricardo "Ricky Romance" Thornton and I talked for a while last night. I told him about all of the people in this industry supporting him, and perhaps some of the things I said made a difference... Perhaps...
I just got this message from Ricky with an online petition attached. He wanted to make sure you guys helped with this as well. For those of you who want justice for yourselves, and maybe others who have experience abuse as children, here's your chance:
RICKY ROMANCE: What I want all our fans and supporters to know is that our intentions was never and still is not to be vindictive or ill gained. We are not only out for justice but we are looking out for others that may have experienced the same thing we did. With that being said let it be known that we are calling for 1,000,000 Strong to sign our online petition to Bring Chris Stokes to Justice,” at http://www.officialleaked.com/ Wrong is wrong, it doesn't matter how much money you have. If you do wrong you have to own up too it! This is not only a movement but a just cause... We need you to rally together and get your friends and their friends to sign this petition.
Ricky Romance
Chairman
JMC Management Group
Brave move? Maybe there will be a hero in all of this... But, until then... I'm over it... NEXT STORY
Stay tuned... Stay urban...
EXCLUSIVE - RICKY ROMANCE'S FINAL WORD: "IT HAPPENED, AND IT'S OUT OF OUR HANDS"
Kids, kids, kids... There are so many important things going on in the world, so many more scandals to examine. I really think it's time to lay this story to rest... at least until there's a solid turn of events.
But for those of you that have been so loyal to THEW NEW URBAN, making our earlier interview with Ricky Romance one of the most linked stories of last week, I thought we all deserved some closure.
Yesterday was pretty busy for Ricky and Raz. After Ricky's return from a New Years bash in Vegas -- an effort to just get away - the family meetings on which we exclusively reported continued, and more secrets were revealed. I called Ricky, and after playing a bit of phone tag, we talked. Like many of you, I felt slightly betrayed. What happened to taking a stand? What about righting wrongs? But after talking to Ricky, I looked back at the TMZ Video... And, I'll say this. Sometimes, especially against the glare of limelight, things aren't exactly as they seem...
At the core of this scandal, far deeper than the money and the flashing lights, we see a family struggling under the weight of fame and clan loyalty.
** THE NEW URBAN'S EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW **
TNU: So, diving right in. We all saw the TMZ Video. From the looks of it, things seem to be resolved. Are you content with what was discussed?
RICKY ROMANCE: Content, like, satisfied? Nah, I'm not content. We did what we had to do to quiet things down.
TNU: Can you talk about what was discussed?
RICKY ROMANCE: All I can say is, we're trying to work it out.
TNU: Was this simply a photo-op situation? To throw the media off?
RICKY ROMANCE: You know how these things work. Things have been crazy, so like I said we did what we had to do. We're family.
TNU: Do you take back any of the things you've told to the media about the molestation, particularly what happened to your brother DeMario?
RICKY ROMANCE: We ain't takin back shit we said... What I said happened, happened. You'll never hear me take it back. And all the things that were done in the dark, are already coming to light. It's out of my hands now. Chris did what he did, and there's nothin I can do about it. I'm not the law. I'm not the white man, who's not tryin to do anything but tear us further apart. At the end of the day we're like I said we're family, and if there are things that can bring us closer together why not do that? We decided to leave this shit in God's hands. But it don't change nothin that happened.
TNU: Did you feel backed into a corner at all? To quiet things down?
RICKY ROMANCE: Yes, definitely.
TNU: Legally or physically?
RICKY ROMANCE: All of that.
TNU: Was Stokes ever planning to sue you or Raz directly for what you said?
RICKY ROMANCE: For what we said, no. How you gonna sue someone for the truth? We're family, period. And we're trying to work it out as a family.
TNU: The allegations that you and Raz made are for things that happened years ago, I know, but when you say things are "out of your hands," what do you mean?
RICKY ROMANCE: There are things that are happening... that at this point have nothing to do with me.
TNU: Are other people making allegations?
RICKY ROMANCE: Like I said, it's out of my hands. But everything I said is the real deal. The people who need to know, know that.
TNU: In the black community, sometimes we feel like it's bad to air dirty laundry. But at The New Urban your last interview got us floods of letters from people who wanted to share their own abuse stories, who supported you and Raz for speaking out. It seemed to liberate people.
RICKY ROMANCE: It was hard to do that. When you air dirty laundry it's either gonna bring our families and communities together or tear us further apart... It's all about teaching the kids who were misled in this world and teaching them the right things. At least that what I want. You know? That's what it's all about.
TNU: I know Raz just opened up to you recently about what he alleges Chris did to him. Do you forgive Chris for what he did to you and Raz?
RICKY ROMANCE: I mean, it's all about forgiveness, right? It's a struggle. And that's what Raz is about, genuinely. That's what we're trying to do. There's a lot going on right now.
TNU: What can you share on the record?
RICKY ROMANCE: As soon as I can tell you more I will.
-----
After our on-the-record interview there was more discussed. Things that simply aren't in anyone's best interest to expose. It took me a while to decide what was best to leave alone.
One thing I really wanted to know is "Was there a money deal?" I never got a straight answer on that. But what I can say is that this situation has taken an enormously difficult toll on Raz, Ricky and Chris's entire family. There've been shouts and screams, tears, and shots at resolution.
So now, let's look back at that TMZ tape together... What I see first is a man, Chris Stokes, noticeably rundown, smiling in a manner that seems more desperate than genuine. I see him standing there, flanked by the two young men who, once upon a time, not only looked up to him, but looked to him for everything. Food, shelter, careers. And it wasn't just them. Stokes was the carrier of an entire family's livelihood and, in some cases, their hopes and dreams...
Now, perhaps for the first time, Chris Stokes sees everything that he built for that same family raring to crumble. All because of a secret, one that I imagine he deeply regrets...
When Ricky says he and Raz are doing what they had to do "for his family." I think he meant it. Family secrets are, perhaps, the most common kind. And sometimes it's difficult to speak out when that group--the group that defines your identity--is in danger. When the man who stepped in as a father when no one else would is thrust before the firing squad. Suddenly, it's not just about "you" anymore, your pain, your rage... even at the exact moment it should be.
This is a complex situation. An industry friend and fan of THE NEW URBAN who watched Stokes and his clan rise in the entertainment industry, says, "They're tight knit. A lot of people don't like Chris, but he was always family oriented in his own way. He was the Great White Hope for the people close to him."
But sometimes, kids, the same person who claims to love you and who you love in return, is positioned to harm you more than anyone else. Sure, it's easy for us to say walk away, sell him down the river, because we're looking for a hero in this situation. A hero to right the wrongs that we view from the distant blogosphere...
But instead of heros we see a grainy internet video showing three broken men, caught up in a soul-less and spirit-crushing industry. Three men who've made public mistakes, and are struggling to forgive and do what's right, for the family.
One thing Ricky did say that stuck with me... "It's not over. Nah, not as far as I'm concerned."
**UPDATE**: Ricky and Raz have decided that Chris Stokes can either "publicly admit and apologize" or they'll "take their petition to the courts for justice." Read more here.
Stay tuned... Stay urban...
