CEDTalks

"The beat is crazy though!" "This song just gets me hype!" In his 2004 comedy special "Never Scared", Chris Rock talks about growing tired of defending his beloved rap music. While highlighting the songs, he mention how fans of hip hop overlook how incredibly tasteless, misogynistic, and crude some of the lyrics are: While I laugh insanely at this clip and the special every time I see it, my recent involvement with music causes me to laugh to stop from crying (or the infamous, "ha hah...not really funny"). As I've grown older and have become more aware of the music and its ramifications, I can't just laugh it off. I can't just dance to this music because "the beat's hot" or "it's so catchy". I'm not grooving just because Chris Brown is on it anymore. I've supported Usher for years but bruh I DO mind. I mind that you're not pushing our women to have employment that speaks to their ...

Consider singer Michelle Lee a candle in this strikingly nocturnal era of modern music. In an age where the themes of misogyny and drugs are universal yet monotonous, the 25 year-old talent lights up the room with a refreshing, ear grabbing voice that must be identified when heard. Invoking the soulful melody of legends like Anita Baker and Toni Braxton, she also provides progressive songwriting in the build of new age vocalists Elle Varner and Janelle Monae. Stylish, spiritual, and an incredibly fun-loving person, Michelle is the "one stop shop" artist; she offers a sultry, intimate sound enveloped by a warm and inviting aura.  Born and raised in the first state of Delaware, Michelle fell in love with music at an early age. She began singing in the church, and her gift was easily recognized by others. With the encouragement of her mother (to whom Michelle gives immeasurable thanks), friends, and family she decided to pursue her music full steam. Her journey to s...

The NBA Playoffs is one of my favorite sports tourneys; with its classic battles of big stars and compelling storylines, the tournament is rarely short on fireworks. The 2014 NBA Playoffs has been no different, yet some of the biggest sparks were launched from outside the arena. Over a span of three weeks, comments from NBA owners and officials on race, specifically African Americans, has caused a stir at both water coolers and television networks alike. In a feat unpredicted by the best psychics, the NBA, a league in which over 70% of the players are Black, has shown that prejudice is as common as ever.  While this should come as no surprise, it must be noted that these beliefs and actions now surface in more..."creative" forms. For the African American community, a huge challenge remains in developing a sound attack against the misconceptions. Creating a balance between acknowledging certain prejudice and stereotypes and making a planned effort not to perpetuate these...

March 24th marked my twenty eighth year here on th is earth, and it marked an important day in my life, as I decided to actually go to work. For anyone who knows me and how I view birthdays, this is a huge occurrence…even though I took off the next day. Turning 28 is an unrecognized milestone in a person’s life, as it is the midpoint of what I call the “career decade” aka “10 Years an Irrelevant Person” (After 12 Years a Slave , any topic revolving time should be spoken as such). The period between ages 23-33 is a moment where you are no longer viewed as a darling, or important for that matter, unless you catapult to the top of your desired career field or on the fast track towards it. If you deviate from this at any time, you slowly move out of sight and out of mind, barring life changing events such as marriage or children; coincidentally, these events shift the focus away from you. In my individual period, I’ve experienced a sample of these highs and lows, falling out of favor for ...

It's here! It's the season finale of WJT! After months of pledging, Derrick has completed his process and is preparing for his final stage and probate show. Gore prepares to make a splash by hosting an after party, while Andre mulls over his options about being at Carter University and chasing Jasmine. Jasmine has some options of her own, and everyone gets caught up in the show until a huge surprise stops everything. Be sure to like, share, and subscribe! For more on WJT, like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/werejusttalki­ng ; follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @werejusttalking.  

"Here come bad news talking this and that, yeah, Well, give me all you got, and don’t hold back, yeah, Well, I should probably warn you I’ll be just fine, yeah, No offense to you, don’t waste your time" - Pharrell Williams, "Happy" Find happiness and allow others to have theirs, even if it includes Westwood hats and astronauts. I'm "happy" that Pharrell's song is being received so well. Everyone and their mother (including mine) is walking around doing the Carlton, singing "Cuz’ I'm happyyyyyyyyyyyy!" It's cool. In addition to being a huge fan of Williams' music (if you love “Happy”, check out “Just a Cloud Away” ) and persona, the song is a testimony to my constant sermon that there remains an audience of people who enjoy, appreciate, and request positive images. Every so often we get songs like “Happy”, Outkast’s “Hey Ya”, “Blessed” by Jill Scott, and classics like “Happy Feelings” by the legendary Maze ...

I've found myself visiting and sharing several posts from social news and entertainment site Buzzfeed; many of the posts not only amused me, but created moments of reflection. From 30 Signs You Went To A HBCU  to " 40 Things That Will Make You Feel Old ", I've considered how certain aspects of my upbringing and education shaped me. That said I bring to you my own list, eleven essential life lessons learned in my journey to manhood. While some of these are specific to my role as Black man in America, most are still applicable to grown men of all ages. 1. Reality shows are the modern day crack rock. What is something people fiend for, sets black people back, and is monitored by the government (in this case, the FCC)? While my father and those around for Reaganomics would probably answer "base", there is a new drug decimating the black perception and it's found on VH1 and Bravo. Many look at the shows as pure entertainment, but so were sitcom...