An Open Letter to Bill Cosby

I woke up this morning, angry. I can’t remember that last time this happened. I sat at the edge of my bed for five minutes, not wondering where this feeling came from, but why. The answer was slow moving. So I got on with my morning until it hit me. The thought of our people crossed my mind.

Mr. Cosby, everyday I walk with the responsibilities and hope of our people on my shoulders. I’ve never dreaded it. I embrace it. But I can’t help but to get angry at the lack of fellowship and vision we exhibit. I think about how much strength it took for you to stand in front of your peers and tell them the raw and uncensored truth about our future if we didn’t take care of our dirty laundry. I think about how every one turned on you… how could they turn on you?

Mr. Cosby, it was you, and your vision for a stronger people that gave us “The Cosby Show.” You gave us a well-rounded, intelligent and loving African-American family to believe in at a time when our hoods were being ravaged by the Cocaine era. I’d hate to see what our people would be like today without the added boost of confidence and self worth that your show delivered. Michael Jordan wasn’t enough; Run-DMC wasn’t enough.

Speaking of those examples, who needs “Affirmative Action” when a majority of our youth recognizes success as playing a professional sport or rapping; not to mention modeling and music production. People are in an uproar about education in Urban areas. Yet in Urban areas, the unemployment rates are high, teenaged pregnancy are high, incarcerations are high; where are the tax dollars? And it’s not because of the school systems, it’s because of our home systems. An urban city can’t survive on State funds alone. Libraries are closing, Boys & Girls Clubs are cutting back, after-school programs cancelled. And people are blaming the government, when it is us that aren’t cleaning are laundry and being responsible for what we bring into this world.

I am angry and disappointed… how many more times will I have to read a rumor of your demise. Why you… why four times? The ingrate that starts these rumors can’t see the pain that it causes?! The nonsense you’ve endured over the past ten years has been nothing short of a tragedy. And through it all, you’ve smiled… through it all, you smile.
To me, you are walking, talking, and game changing Black History in motion. You were at one point “America’s Favorite Dad” on television; a national treasure. And I believe that I’ll be angry until our people come together, apologize to you, defend you, and treat you with the respect that you’ve earned over the past 50+ years.

I hope that this letter reaches you in clear mind and spirit. Mr. Cosby, your life inspired me to be better, to live better, and most important, to deliver discomfort to the masses if it is the only way to change the status quo. I am proud to say that I am a Cosby kid. Continued success to you, sir.

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"Black is the New White" by Paul Mooney

Over the past month or so, I've raved over this book. I've reached out to numerous people in hopes of sitting down with the Comedic Trailblazer, Paul Mooney (the epitome of "being yourself at all cost). Over the past 40 years, if it was classic comedy, Paul was more than likely one or two degrees in separation from that moment. From writing for Richard Pryor, to opening for Eddie Murphy during the groundbreaking "RAW" tour, to his role as "Negrodamus" on the Dave Chappelle Show, Paul was an architect of modern day comedy. Paul's contributions to comedy even helped to build the foundation for late night talk show hosts, David Letterman and Jay Leno.

If you are a history buff, or have followed any of the careers that I have just mentioned, you must read "Black is the New White". When you put this book down, you'll understand everything that has made Paul Mooney, as well as comedy, what it is today.

You can click on the information below to buy this book for yourself or any person in your life that follows Black History and loves comedy.

The Race to Nowhere: Chuck D on being “Black in America” (Hello CNN)

I am, Black in America. So when the “critically acclaimed” television special aired on CNN, I didn’t bother watching it. Whether the show was an hour, or three hours long, I felt that I’d more likely walk away from it with something taken away from me, than given to me. I live in Urban America. My parents and grandparents and so forth have lived in Urban America. To know it, you must live it, and I’m sorry, but interviewing those that do, then editing the footage to create dramatic television, isn’t official to me.

So what I wanted to do was sit down, face to face with an iconic face in Urban culture to not pose the question, “What does it mean to you, being black in America?” I wanted to breathe in and out, a natural conversation that would touch on the subject without a word towards it. So when I sat down with Chuck D, leader of the LEGENDARY (yes, legendary) Public Enemy, I knew that our conversation would walk us down a road less traveled; the realistic one.

These are Chuck D’s views, word for word
Being “Black in America” in 2009 means that we have no excuse for being tired. Being “Black in America” you should know that the cheapest price you could pay is attention. It also means that we must be as active with ourselves and understanding, as the President is right now. Let’s go further, being “Black in America” has introduced us to a lot of individualism. When you talk about being “Latino in America” there is still a collective in place, a team effort. When you talk about Latino’s, the men outnumber the boys. The men work together in abundance. “Black in America” maybe you’ll see in the entertainment business, 8 or 9 dudes working together, but even that has to be questioned. Are they really working together or are these 8 dudes securing the 1 dude that is really working? “Latino in America” if you see 12 dudes working, they are all working in a zone. They take lunch together and they are eating quietly. When that bell sounds, they are back working as a collective. When the weekend comes, they might pray together or watch their sons play soccer, together, raising their families together. You can’t beat that collective. Once upon a time, people used to laugh at the eight Latino’s crammed in a Caprice, but the point was that it was 8 of them rolling together. “Black in America” used to mirror that in the 60’s. You’d see 8 black men rolling up in a Cutlass, being that collective. Then it got to a point where those cats felt that they were moving on up, so they all got their own cars. Now you’ll have one dude in one car, another dude in another and they never meet. People are now quick to say that they don’t need anyone, but no man or woman is an island. Individualism is really eating at the core of Black America. It’s a big issue.