Looking Back: Was Suge Knight Talking About Jermaine Dupri At The 1995 Source Awards?

Today is the 20th anniversary concert for legendary southern imprint So So Def . Founded by Jermaine Dupri, the label launched the careers of acts like Kris Kross, Da Brat, Xscape and more. While known more for partying and having a good time, one thing that that's not really spoken about when it comes to the label is the beef that they had with others in the industry, primarily Suge Knight and Death Row records. So when Suge Knight stood on the stage of the Apollo in New York City in 1995 and said, "if you don't want your producer all in your videos, all on your music, come to Death Row," many believed that he was talking primarily about Puff Daddy and Bad Boy. IN actuality, if you look back at the year, it would more likely seems that that comment was pointed at one, Jermaine Dupri.

A Special Topic from The Lady Geek: "Mixed Girls and Mamas"

A Special Essay From the Lady Geek

"Mixed Girls and Mama's": A Personal Journey

"..she raised me to never ever forget I was on parole, which means no black hoodies in wrong neighborhoods, no jogging at night, hands in plain sight at all times in public, no intimate relationships with white women, never driving over the speed limit or doing those rolling stops at stop signs, always speaking the king's English in the presence of white folks, never being outperformed in school or in public by white students and most importantly, always remembering that no matter what, white folks will do anything to get you.

...Mama's antidote to being born a black boy on parole in Central Mississippi is not for us to seek freedom; it's to insist on excellence at all times...There ain't no antidote to life, I tell her. How free can you be if you really accept that white folks are the traffic cops of your life? Mama tells me that she is not talking about freedom. She says that she is talking about survival."

From:"How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America: A Remembrance”

An Essay By: Kiese Laymon

The epic failure of religion by @odiggler

The epic failure of religion by @odiggler

When I was younger( than I currently am) I was not made to go to church. I was not made to get up every Sunday, put on my Sundays best and go praise the lord. Then I turned 16 and my friends and I started a gospel group and I began to attend church Monday- Sunday and even attended vacation bible school. While I was doing my church triathlon I got to witness the greatness of going to the spiritual house of your choice and getting spiritually fed to start off your week. But I also got to witness the dark side of the moon. I've seen a pastor kicked out by a church board, I've seen adultery within the church, I've seen cliques created all sorts of things that I'm almost positive is illegal but that's neither here nor there.

My group faded and I fell out of love with the organized church structure and go sparingly when ever my wife gives me the "look of death." the reality or at least the reality I see is that I've dealt with people saying I'm on the fence, I'm the devils advocate, I don't believe in God, and all sorts of accusations because I don't believe in God the way other individuals believe in God. This hypocrisy is what bothers me with Christianity especially black Christianity, because there is a difference; the problem with Christianity is that there is no room to be an individual, no room to make a mistake without being ostracized. Oh sure confess your sins publicly and you will be set free right?

How free could you be with you business openly misconstrued and wild accusations running a muck. I find myself more often saying I'm a spiritual person more than I say I'm religious. No, I don't go to church no, I don't bury my nose in the bible no I'm not on the deacon board, no I don't pay tithes and offering, but I love the Jesus and the older I get the more I realize I don't have to prove it to anyone but him.


Orrin Carter

Is Kanye West really that special for news?

Kanyeezy..the Louis Vuitton Don has a new girlfriend who's bald..why is it news?

Editor's thoughts
By Mr. Abba A. Onyeani
HNIC of theblackurbantimes.com

The news of hip hop has become watered down into gossip laden bloggers who take pics and then transfer the articles into magazines(no need to say names) what happened to the days of The Source, and XXL when you used to read articles that were hard hitting. Unsigned Hype picks were Common and Notorious B.I.G. Those days are gone readers.
Welcome to the new age of hip hop news where men wear wigs in online videos saying its a rap beef. The pink sweaters and the tight jeans are the "talk of the town". Its funny when you read what's online now..no one really has news or investigative stories. There are cats in the park right now freestyling trying to get signed, but everyone wants to read about who Keri Hilson is talking about on some lame track.

Don't worry readers Theblackurbantimes.com is here to save the day. I admit we're not perfect and we'll fall into the trap of gossip sometimes. What we will promise you is that the level of "hip hop & urban" news will be quality. Not just a pic of some rapper with a jump off and 2 lines of an article. We know what you want readers. we want the same thing when we read online publications as well. The quality that some of you online hip hop bloggers say you have is nothing less then the lyrics that Kanye wrote for "Jesus Walks"...which means not much of anything.