The Urban Beat - March 9, 2010

1.  White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs dismantles all of former Rep. Massa's arguments related to his surprise resignation. 

2.  The President shows shades of the campaign in the final push for health reform.

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The Greatest Rapper Alive Died on March 9th

Christopher Wallace aka Biggie Smalls, aka The Notorious B.I.G. was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York May 21, 1972 and was arguably one of rap's greatest icons and best emcee's until his untimely death in Los Angeles, California on March 9, 1997.

Food for thought:  What would the Hip-Hop/Rap scene look like today if Biggie were still alive?

Tribute video after the jump:

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The Urban Beat - March 8, 2010

1.  Rep. Eric Massa's "retirement" becoming increasingly strange.  He calls out Democratic leadership for forcing him out in order to pass health reform.  Oh and he allegedly have sexually harassed a male staffer.  He is even planning to appear on Glenn Beck (yes, that Glenn Beck) tomorrow for the entire hour.

2.  Sarah Palin wrote on her hand because God did it.  She really said that. Idiot.

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Get Off My TeeVee: Andrea Tantaros Edition

Did she basically just call President Obama psycho?  Ms. Tantaros you just compared the POTUS to Glenn Close from 'Fatal Attraction.'  Get off my teevee.

Memorable Moments at the Oscars

Last night marked the 82nd ceremony for the Academy Awards for motion picutres, otherwise known as "The Oscars."  Depending on whether you had Time Warner or not (who was battling over its contract with ABC), you might have witnessed the traditional promenade of Hollywood gowns and tuxedos by all the latest and most expensive fashion designers known to man.  Doogie Howser (Neil Patrick Harris) opened up the show with a full production song and dance routine to announce the two co-hosts, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin.  Martin had hosted it before but this was Baldwin's first time, nevertheless you wouldn't have known it; the two seemed very comfortable and naturally funny as they went down the row heckling the all the nominees seated in the front row D.L. Hughley style.

Getting down to business, the major awards were as follows:

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The Urban Beat - March 5, 2010

1.  Rep. Bart Stupak is wrong about the health reform bill covering abortion.



2.  Rep. Eric Massa seems to be admitting to something here.  To what exactly, I don't know, but he's resigning on Monday which means Pelosi only needs 216 votes to pass the Senate health reform bill.

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Get Off My TeeVee: Liz McCarthy...I Mean Cheney Edition

Liz Cheney has crossed the line on this one.  Even some of her conservative allies are turning against her.

She put out this ad calling members of the Department of Justice "The Al Qaeda Seven" claiming that because they had clients in the past that were detainees they somehow are supporting jihad or something stupid like that.  This woman needs to go to the bunker with Dick!

Bonus! Check out Rachel Maddow simply DESTROY Lil Miss Cheney for this scare mongering ad after the jump:

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The Hurt Locker: War is a drug.

So first off let me just say that I've seen The Hurt Locker and my personal opinion is that it is one of the most thrilling and riveting movies I've seen in a very long time. It is nominated for NINE Academy Awards, tied only with Avatar for the most nominations this year.

If she wins this Sunday, the film's director Kathryn Bigelow (who ironically was once married to her chief rival in the best director category James Cameron for Avatar) would be the first woman ever to take home the best director statue for this sleeper hit which had a budget of only $11 million dollars. The movie has gotten praise from critics for it's grit, unbelievable suspense, and realism. 

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Sprite Stepoff-Gate: Lawrence C. Ross Jr. vs. Jason Whitlock

2 weeks ago a White sorority, Zeta Tau Alpha (ZTA), sent shockwaves through the Black Community (not to mention the blogosphere) when it won Sprite's "Stepoff" stepshow, which was a national stepshow competition hosted in Atlanta, MC'd by Ludacris and judged by a panel of mostly non-greek celebrities such as Chilli from TLC and singer Monica.  The winners, ZTA, won $100,000 in scholarship money, not to mention bragging rights.  In an unusual turn of events, however, subsequent to the show Sprite announced an "error" in the scoring and reneged by announcing that the 2nd place Black sorority, the Tau chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA), was to be the "co-winner" along with the 1st place ZTA.  Aside from this obvious faux pas in Stepshow winner etiquette, the entire situation has sparked a dialogue within the Black Community. When it was initially announced that the White sorority had won the show, the mostly Black audience "booed." What does this say about race relations within our historically Black institutions and organizations?  2 general schools of thought seem to have emerged on the topic - one articulated by author Lawrence C. Ross, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, Fraternity, Inc. - the other articulated by sports columnist Jason Whitlock, a Black writer for the Kansas City Star and frequent contributor to ESPN.

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The Urban Beat - March 4, 2010

1.  CNN Fail.

Apparently this has something to do with the Department of Justice.  Not exactly clear what though.

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The Urban Beat - March 3, 2010

1.  Governor Paterson really might be forced to resign shortly. NYT out with yet ANOTHER story today smdh.  Now he violated ethics rules by getting free World Series tix sigh.

2.  Obama gives Congress the green light to begin the process of Reconciliation. Yes!

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Epidemic: AIDS In The Black Community

The numbers are beyond alarming.  None of this is "news."  Most of us are aware that there is an epidemic of HIV/AIDSs in the Black community. 

Studies show that there are some communities in the United States that have a higher rate of infection than Africa!  For example, in the nation's capital 1 in 30 adults is HIV infected.  In New York, it's 1 in 40.

As the chart (right) shows, HALF of all AIDS cases diagnosed in the 2007, were in the Black community who remember only make up a total of 12% of the U.S. population.  Nearly 70% of these new cases are Black women.

That is just CRAZY.

How did this happen?

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