Friends are my FAVORITE Accessories

As you know life can get CRAZY. Right before my BIG move Sunday night to the Big Apple, me three of the most amazing women I know (Keanna, Jonnita, and Latisha) went out to celebrate my internship, birthday, and overall fabulousness.

We all arrived at this bar/club called Juniors by UIC. Obviously misguided, we thought ladies were free all night. After they tried to charge us ten dollars we left and went to Entourage (where we know we were free all night). What we were not aware of at the moment was that this was not hip-hop night, and although it was free, it was WHACK!

At this point I was more than disappointed. I mean this is a very big night for me. After about an hour or so went past and we chatted with Keanna's boyfriend and his people, I began to feel overly disgusted and disappointed. Unlike my usual well put together self, I began to cry. Yes, here I am in the middle of a club, crying.

This whack DJ was ruining my birthday party in a plot to ruin my life it seemed. This is when my friends went into OVERLOAD and did damage control. First they bought me some drinks to help easy my mind. Then they harassed the DJ TWICE, in an attempt to save my sanity. It was as if the DJ could not tell that his horrible Techno music was pissing everybody off. NOBODY was dancing, tons of people left, and I was about to hang myself!

After my girls used their persuasive skills they picked up at college, the DJ played some hip-hop!! Now the party was..a party. The whole club was dancing, drinks were flowing, pictures were taken, and we all were having the time of our lives :)

That was a close one. Thank God for friends. Especially amazing ones like I have, I could not have done it without them. Friends are my Favorite Accessory. Enough Said.

-Taleah G

Equal Opportunity Exploiters

I recently read an article about Christina Milian. The article was discussing a song that both she and Teairra Marie recording, but that Teairra Marie will be placing on her up and coming album. I could have really cared less about the entire situation, until I noticed something interesting. The article said that Christina recorded the song before she signed to The-Dream's record label. Hum, so I started thinking.

We have all heard of the term "fu*king for tracks". Now I'm not accusing Christina of doing such a thing at all. Nevertheless, I wonder if when trying to make it in the game do artist adopt a certain "success by any means necessary" motto.

I look at artist like Cassie and Christina and wonder are these women equal opportunity exploiters or are they simply in love with a man. Men exploit women for their bodies all the time, is it wrong for women to exploit men for their power? This also works vice versa. It has been rumored for years that Chris Brown has had an intimate relationship with his manager Tina Davis.

Hum..But Chris Brown is young and wants to be an international Superstar. Giving Ms. Davis a little "tlc" every now and again can not be that wrong..people have sex for worst things than fame..right?? Hum..

If Christina wants to achieve ultimate success in the industry (platinum album, nationally sold out tour, etc.) is it wrong of her to elevate her status by dating a producer? Even if he did sign her to his label and will give her free beats and write her hit songs because that's his boo.

Fu*king for tracks sounds so derogatory, is it merely stepping her game up? Women date low life, dead beats all the time, why not date someone that could improve your life?

Is it gold digging or refusing to settle? Where do we as a society draw the line? Are we ALL equal opportunity exploiters?

Taleah G

The Danger Zone

Recently photos of Monica "Danger" Leon have surfaced on the Internet. Along with an interview. When I first heard about these pictures I was thinking alright Danger, they can not be too bad. Probably just your everyday low budget nude photos. So I decided to do some investigative journalism and was far beyond shocked. I refuse to post the evidence on my blog, but I will say that they are above and beyond extreme. I for one love Danger. Even after she went crazy. On the show I thought she was beautiful and had a realness about her. I was very disappointed to see her portrayed as nothing more than a low class slut.

These pictures were taken before the show because she does not have the tattoo. I'm assuming she knew that these photos would eventually surface because she did an interview addressing her past. Here it is.

HipHopRX.com has learned that Monica Leon aka Danger, one of the cast members of VH1’s For The Love Of Ray J (the one with the tattoo on her face), has reportedly revealed to Core DJ’s Hutch Daddy Dolla of Nappy Boy Radio that, in her past life, she was a prostitute.

After first making the blog headlines for her nude provocative photos, contestant ‘Danger’ of For the Love of Ray J, Monica Leon, is now making news this week when she “alleged” that she has become pregnant with Ray J’s child.

Monica reportedly tells The National Enquirer that she became pregnant after a series of unprotected sexual encounters with Ray J.

“I was locked in a mansion with him and 13 girls from October until the end of December. Toward the end of the first week of filming, we made love for the first time - and we slept together every night after that.”

Danger reveals, in her interview with Hutch Daddy Dolla, more of what happened behind the scenes of “For The Love Of Ray J” and goes into about some of the behind the scenes activities of the VH1 show, not showing on TV:

“He kissed girls, you know, there was like a few days that we were at the house before that even happened. There was nights that weren’t like documented, they didn’t see all the girls trying to just basically rape him [Ray J],” revealed Danger.

Danger then revealed more about the show not seen on TV.

In one scene on the show, one of the 14 girls on the show named Chardonnay did a split for Ray J that according to Danger sparked a banana split love scene not shown on tv. Danger then ’spills the beans’ about contestant Stilts who she says did porn and possibly produced it also.

Following that, Danger reveals more about herself and own wild side and why she started on her path of doing nude photos and says that “regardless of their moral upbringing,” there are “alot of young women and young men” that go through what she’s been through.

“Basically when I dropped out of school when I was 19, I was going through alot of different things,” Danger stated. “I was trying to find myself. I wanted to do theater, you know I wanted to get back into modeling, I wanted to do this and that, but as a girl in the Bay area who’s 5 [foot] 3 [inches], there’s not very many opportunities out there for modeling,” she adds.

“I’m not this stick figure, I have a body… basically, I need some money, and I was like to the point of - you know what! - f-ck my dad, f-ck my mom, f-ck my family, f-ck my friends, I’ma just do my own thing… I got to a really selfish point in my life that I’m really not proud of — but yeah, I experienced that, alot of young women and young men go through that — where they just want to just be on their own - regardless of their moral upbringing. I have great parents, I have a great father, I have a great mother, I have a strong family. But I just got to the point where I just - was so mad.. everybody wants to keep me, because of the way I look, I was like let me just take advantage of that, and make as much as I can as fast as I can and not give a f-ck about anything else, and that’s basically what I did, that’s what I went through,” Danger revealed.

Although Danger says she did not go as far as doing porn, she does go on to open up about her past life as a stripper, AND a prostitute.

“I have done pictures, I’ve been an exotic dancer and I’ve also done some prostitution and that’s something that I really didn’t want to just talk about right away cause it’s a scary scary thing, it has such a negative connotation to it. But I was a prostitute for about two and half years, and you know I was making alot of money, I had all this cash, shopping… all this shit, you know, nice car, nice place, but it didn’t make me happy,” Danger revealed about her past life.

---Hum...Now this can be taken different ways. Do we feel that since she was honest we still respect her? or do we think that she is a disgusting whore despite the incidents being in her past?..even if her past was 6 months ago

Do we fault people for their past even if they are progressing in a better direction in their present?

This guy I know said that he would still date her. Are men more willing than women to date people despite their past? A woman could have been a prostitute/stripper/ lesbian/attempted murder but if a man finds her attractive and believes she has changed THEN IT'S ALL GOOD?..or is it?

-Taleah G

Intern and The City

After about five months of hard work and hustle, I landed a public relations internship in the City that Never Sleeps! My journey to this place of euphoria was not without disappointments. I applied to an estimated forty companies, including radio stations, advertising agencies, public relations firms and record labels. After I was rejected by this prestigious advertising program, I was depressed and not sure if my dream would be my reality. But I remembered that "when the going gets tough, the tough get going" so to speak. With that in mind I got right back on my hustle and immediately began receiving a series of emails from companies. One agency was Tracy Paul and Company. Tracy Paul and Company is a full service agency specializing in public relations, integrated marketing, product placement and strategic marketing.

Everything happened so fast. Before I knew it I was on another hustle to find money to pay for my plane ticket and hotel stay, because I had an interview. Then things got even better. While planning for this trip, ANOTHER company called me to see if I would be in New York for an interview. Just my luck, I would be. Without my mother's support, I flew out of Midway Airport on a Thursday. Both interviews were Friday, so I had time to walk around and enjoy myself. My hotel was conveniently located in Midtown, so I was five minutes from 5Th Avenue and twelve minutes from Time Square. I grabbed some roasted peanuts, two Magnolia cupcakes and ate dinner at a local cafe, before heading back to my room to prepare for my future.

Friday came quick and although it was raining I could not have been more excited. I took everything with me before heading to 12Th street to impress my future bosses. Both interviews went very well! My public relations portfolio and knowledge of the business impressed both companies. I even had time to grab lunch at Cosi before heading to LaGuardia Airport. I'm sure there is a cliche for the phrase "when stuff is good, bad stuff will come". Because that is exactly what happened. Due to weather, my plane was delayed 3 TIMES. I had no more money for another night in New York, so I would be pretty much sleeping in the scary airport!

While looking devastated and contemplating jumping off the top of the building, I made a friend. The Senior Vice President/A&R of Jive Records. We talked for hours while waiting to hear our fate. When it was all said and done, we were both booked for Saturday flights, I had another possible internship opportunity at the record label, and my parents booked me a room at the Holiday Inn LaGuardia. (Sigh) That was close!;/

By Monday, Tracy Paul and Company had offered me the internship. I would be the intern of the Fashion Director. This was perfect because I want to do fashion and entertainment PR. Only 2 days after my interview and my dream had become my reality. At the end of May I will officially be INTERN AND THE CITY.

-Taleah G.

Coming out of the Foxxhole

Earlier this week Jamie Foxx said some hilarious and apparently hurtful things about Miley Cyrus. I thought the comments from him and his staff were beyond comical. However, her father did not. Even after Jamie apologized he still had some pretty harsh words for Mr. Foxx. I cant help but not care how offensive he was, I enjoyed the rant

Will RAP for food!

Maybe it's just me, but I cant help but feel like every guy I meet is a Rapper. Even as I take a trip down memory lane, I notice that my 1st boyfriend had dreams of hip-hop stardom. Six years later he's still dreaming. I completely understand that everyone has dreams. I have dreams too. Nevertheless, is this all young Black men want to do? I have met plenty, and I do mean plenty, of "rappers", and although I enjoy a good one hit wonder as much as the next person, I appreciate real talent. Unfortunately, everyone does not have it. I know your mother is proud you can make words rhyme and your friends bob their heads when you freestyle, but I'm sure it takes more then that. A second opinion from an unbiased source wouldn't hurt. I am not saying that NO one will be a rapper, because that is not true. They do still exist. All I'm trying to figure out is when did guys decide that was all they knew how to do. Maybe someone should consider being a doctor or a pilot. We ACTUALLY need those. What we don't need is another hip-hop artist with a failing career. I think there should absolutely be a career deadline for these artist. Are you really going to be 50 years old still trying to make it into the rap game? I mean take up a trade, mix it up a little. At some point you will have to Grow up, Get Over Yourself, and Get A Job. I'm just saying.

-Taleah G

The Rise of the Model?

It has been brought to my attention that there is a new epidemic leaking into the brains of college women. Apparently I missed the memo that told every girl age 19-24 that she was for lack of a better term "model material". Over the past year I have seen more attempts at professional photo shoots on face book then I care to mention. Maybe it's just me but being in a college fashion show DOES NOT make you a REAL model. After all, are the people who let you be in the show model professionals? NO, they are in college just like you trying to become whatever it is they think they already are. I am completely supportive of the idea in being in fashion shows and taking professional pictures; I love the way I look too. Nevertheless, the cockiness of some of these women makes me wonder if they live in the real world or have one too many of there friends complemented them on a less then mediocre picture. Since I do live in the real world, I know that not ALL models are attractive. Being beautiful is not my point, beauty is in the eye of the beholder (cliche, but true). I guess what really boggles my mind is the arrogance. The sheer audacity of some of these women to not realize that they are NO better than anyone else just because their friends tossed them in some scuffed up high heels and told them to try to walk in a straight line. Maybe I'll respect some of these people when they sign a contract or something until then I will continue to watch the comedy show.

Sidenote: If you aspire to be a video girl, I can understand that. Be informed that King Magazine is going out of business. Nevertheless, XXL is still around and will gladly take half-naked pictures of you from the waste down while barely showing your face. Your welcome.

-Taleah G