Don't Call It A Comeback

Some predicted it, some wished it, and I certainly didn't expect it but it's true. I'm going to continue blogging (and at a new url, Prof B.) It was like I said everything that I could at Inciting A Riot. A lot of the posts carry my baggage from high school and half the hits are people looking for stuff that I refuse to write about anymore. So like the Phoenix rising from it's own ashes, I present Shadowboxing W/Myself, the new blog. What can you expect?....I guess anything you read here but a lot less anonymous and a lot more grown up. I am, after all, 20 years old now..lol. The new blog will be my version of an online magazine with sections that cover a range of topics. There will, of course ,be my usual brand of humor and commentary but something a lil more polished. So update your blogrolls and let's start the show.

Chasing Shadows: MY NEW BOOK

What happens to Theo Huxtable in the real world? That question and more is asked in Chasing Shadows, a novel by freshman writer Donovan Ramsey. At the age of eighteen, Pan Alexander boards a cramped plane and takes a cheap flight headed to the school of his dreams. With all of his middleclass and Midwestern sensibilities, he enters a place much different from the one he expected. Pan becomes a student at Atlanta-Hope College, a historically Black institution seated in Atlanta, Georgia.
His journey into the Black Ivy League isn’t one traveled alone though. Along the way he encounters friends he never expected, the women of his dreams, and a world he couldn’t have imagined. It’s not School Daze and definitely not A Different World, the truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. As the parties commence and the year gears up, he finds himself walking the tightrope between the home he knows and the life he wants. But is that possible in a place where you can never know for sure what’s real or what’s just an illusion?
With the resolve and tenacity of a bull, Pan charges onto the campus only to find that in a world governed by status and influence, being young, gifted, and Black may not be enough. At all costs, you have to be the best. Chasing Shadows is a direct account of one student’s journey from freshman to man- a journey full of secrets, drugs, cheating, and even death. Will Pan sink or swim when it comes time for the dreams to stop and the living to begin? He doesn’t know. What he does know is that after the drumline clears out and the yard has been stomped, all that is really left are school and the lessons.

The Riot Is Ovahhh!!!

Now it's time to say goodbye

To all our company

I-N-C, See you real soon

I-T-I-N-G, Why? Because we like you

R-I-O-T

Well, I always knew that this day would come. This is the last post that I'll be doing for this blog. Last week I was about to post something when I realized that my blogiversey was coming up. That means it has been two years since I started this thing. I hope that the posts have made people laugh, think, and maybe cry (not really cuz crying sucks.) I could think of no better way to document my first two years of college than through this blog. All of the regs (you know who you are), I'll miss ya. All of the lurkers should have left at least one comment lol. If I'm ever going to be a supreme court justice then I have to stop writing about my personal life and views anyway. So...this is it! Maybe I'll start a new blog. Maybe I'll just keep reading ya'lls. Either way, That's all folks.

Oh yeah for those who wanted to see a pic of me, here ya go!

Baby On the Prom Committee?

Should high school kids be able to bring their children to the prom?

Eavesdropping

Today I was catching the bus. I sat in front of these two men who reminded me of a young Jim Jones and Com'ron (yea, that type.) My iPod eats earphones and I'm currently out so I had nothing better to do than to listen to peoples' conversations. The Dipset guys were having this conversation about how Cam could let Jim stay at his house but Jim would have to hide-out because Cam's mom doesn't like people over the house. Now, mind you, these are grown men. I'm thinking "WTF!!! I'll be damned if I ever hide my company. I'd rather be on the streets." So they're talking all this shit and peppering their conversation with "no-homo this" and "no-homo that." That annoys me because it's obviously overcompensating and really distracting from the actual convo. What I found hilarious though is that in the end Jim was like "where I'm gon' hide when she there?" And Cam said "You can stay in the closet. Don't worry. I'll be in there too." NO LIE!!! And neither thought to say "no-homo."

Show Your Drawers, Face the Laws

Besides the threat of hurricanes, looming floods, and infinite rednecks, the poor people of Louisiana also have to deal with small town, backwater politicians like Mayor Carol Broussard passing demeaning laws. The good ol’ boy of a mayor is advocating a law that actually makes it illegal to show your underwear in public in the town of Delcambre. The new law will specifically target baggy jeans or as they put it, “saggy trousers.” Offenders could risk getting a $500 fine or 6 months in jail. Thankfully, not everyone in the town is supportive:

Some residents say the ordinance targets blacks, as low-slung trousers are
fashionable among Hip Hop fans.

A charge that the mayor denies, claiming: “White people wear sagging pants, too.”

Good Jeans

• I've really been in Starbucks a lot. Yesterday I got mad when someone was sitting the seat where I like to type. I asked him if he minded and he moved. I felt like "yea, you better recognize."
• And why do I feel like I have to buy something whenever I'm there. Tomorrow I'm gonna walk straight to the back and start writing
• For the 1st time in my life I feel kinda lonely when I'm alone. I used to only feel lonely when surrounded by people. weird right?
• I'm on the verge of getting my 1st apartment and I really want a dog. Should I get a pitbull or a small terrior?
• I wore my favorite pair of jeans today. Just got tired of basketball shorts and wanted to look fresh.
• I really miss having cable. What's going on with Monique's Charmschool.
• I'm gonna need a job in ATL anybody know who's hiring

No, You're Not In My Top Eight

While my professional situation seems to be shaping up, everything else is kinda going to Hell. And that's really fine with me. Without being dramatic, I have a lot of madness happening in my life and I'm just prioritizing. A part of this process involved my friends. For the past couple of weeks, I was ridiculously depressed and working through it by keeping busy, writing, being with family, etc. A couple of days I just couldn't take it any more and had to call somebody. I didn't wanna get all Dr. Phil over the phone but sometimes I need to rant.

I tried a few friends that I've known for years and got nothing. Not a call back. No text. No email. Nothing. I don't consider myself to be a needy person. Hell, I have this blog just so I wouldn't talk to myself so much but It's rare that I call anyone for anything so I was like "Damn. For real?." I'm not pissed at the people who I consider my friends but at myself for letting my life get so preoccupied with things and people that ultimately don't matter. People that know what I'm going through and couldn't even return a call.

Maybe I'm tripping but I just saw it as an opportunity. I've been going through my phone and losing numbers. I've asked some people to lose mine and I've even been shutting down folks from my Facebook. Earlier today I got a text from a friend asking me about the facebook thing. Crazy how nobody was calling to ask if I was doing OK but besides that, I just tried to explain that it WAS deliberate and done with no ill will or hard feelings. "You're just not in my top eight."

Sometimes I wonder if I'm too extreme when it comes to people because the second that I'm not feeling them, I make them nonexistent. That works for me. If friends are just family that we can choose why would I want to spend my life with people that I don't really enjoy. People are in your life for a reason and a season. I think I'm just really good at determining when the season is up.

So...What say the masses? And Oooooh before I forget, here & here are possible covers for my book.

Obligatory Paris Post (There Will Be No More)

After staying up late writing (70 pages ya'll) I was dog tired today and had to do something that I haven't done in years, take a nap. I fell asleep and woke up to watch little of the nightly news. Top story: Paris fucking Hilton. I was shocked because I expect more out of the nightly news. I would expect it on Fox News or MSNBC even maybe on the Today Show but not the nightly news. That hoe is gonna push me to watch PBS more often.

I have to say that I am truly disgusted at out society for tolerating this at a time of war. Maybe we're all so entrenched in celebrity because the world is so overwhelmingly fucked and we need to escape. The last time that i remember a spectacle like this was OJ back when I was a kid. But even then, I understood that. OJ's case was huge because it was...so very American. It was saturated in race, class, and celebrity.

I think that the last thing that this reflects on is our legal system. I can't be mad at Al Sharpton for going on TV and saying that had Paris been poor or Black, this wouldn't be an issue. Her ass woulda been under the jail for her first offense. And lord forbid she get hit with the double whammy: poor and Black. JESUS TAKE THE WHEEL!! So she's been released and forced back which I think is good. I'm just tired of her and hope that she Lindsay and Britney decide to just go away.

AFRICA: Join the Conversation

Boy, you better eat the rest of that. There are starving kids in Africa." That was the first idea that I ever had of an entire continent. I never really had the stomach for carrots and peas so whenever my mother served them she would eventually recite that line. In it, I learned that Africa was a place that was hungry and I was lucky to not be "over there."

Between my mother and those "Save the Children" commercials, Africa never had a chance for a fair depiction in my mind. It was indelibly set up as a place of perpetual suffering full of big flies, swollen bellies and and dirt. I'm not sure when that changed exactly for me. It could have been when I realized that I was descendant from African slaves or the day that I met an actual person from Africa but "over there" suddenly didn't seem quite so far away. I don't feel anymore connected to Africa than anyone one else but sometimes I do wonder if it occupies the thoughts of others like it does mine. Was I the only kid that colored in American flags red, yellow, and green in my coloring book?

Ultimately it doesn't matter because we all live in a world where the hunger, disease, and brutality that exists in Africa is very real to everyone. And moreover, we live in a world that is more capable to help. Just think, if the myth that we've been told of Africa was a lie. What if it's not really some third world hell hole but a place where, as Dr Maya Angelou put it, "The dignity of the African people has been simply dismissed with 100 years of colonialism and years of having slavery as the main export." What if we saw Africa as an actual part of the world and not the cause for some fundraiser or charity commercial. That's what Vanity Fair magazine and Bono are trying to do with its special edition Africa issue. The 20 cover issue is the result of getting heads of state, billionaires, entertainers, and philanthropists together to talk about 1 thing: Africa. While, there are hungry kids in Africa there is great potential and promise. I'm blessed enough to plan on studying abroad in South Africa and will do so in an effort to learn more and continue the conversation. To see the other covers, click HERE.

What do you think?

Lupe Slingin' Dope On A Skateboard?

Charles Patton, Lupe Fiasco’s close friend and business partner, who also has conducted various music deals in Hip-Hop was recently investigated for heavy drug trafficking. He was found possessing 6Kilos of heron, which was explained to be about ONE MIIIIIILLION DOLLAS on the skreets. Apparently, a lot of the drug money was used to startup his record label and some say was also used to finance Lupe’s project(s). While Lupe was not convicted of any charges, some say that Lupe was well aware of what was going down if he wasn’t participating as well…

According to the article:

“In the recorded conversations, Patton and Fiasco discuss splitting up “whole yellow” and “whole red” ones. A prosecution witness directly involved in Patton’s drug operation testified the colors referred to the mixing and prepping of$10 heroin packets. Fiasco, testifying for the defense, said they referred to mixing and prepping of music tracks. He denied any involvement in drugs."

Let’s try this again? “Whole Yellow”/ “Whole Red”= Mixing & Prepping Music tracks. lmao….Anyone wanna take a bite on that one? Anyway, ole boi’s gettin 44 years and Lupe’s droppin “The Cool” soon…nice trade off i guess!source

Hi-Five's Tony Thompson Dead At 31

Tony Thompson, who sang on the 1990s R&B hits "I Like the Way (The Kissing Game) and "She's Playing Hard to Get" as part of the group Hi-Five, has died. He was 31.Thompson was found dead Friday night of an apparent drug overdose, friends told the Waco Tribune-Herald.Thompson signed with Jive Records in 1990 as part of Hi-Five. The quintet's self-titled debut album went multi-platinum and spawned the hits "I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)," "I Can't Wait Another Minute," and "Just Another Girlfriend."In 1992, the group found success again with the songs "She's Playing Hard to Get" and "Quality Time."Thompson released his solo debut, "Sexsational," in 1995 after Hi-Five split.The Waco native had recently moved back to his hometown from the Dallas area and was working on new material.

I'll never forget that "Kissing Game" song because my aunt used to work out of her home sending off materials for promotion companies and one of her assignments was to mail out a bunch of Hi-Five singles. My sister and I ended up with like 12 of those each.

I Am Not My Hair

I was cutting my hair last week and trying to decide exactly how short to cut it. I didn't always cut my own hair but a few years back, a barber really fucked me up and I couldn't stand to spend money taking that risks when I could just cut it myself (that's what always ended up happening anyways.) In the middle of going back and forth deciding on what guard to use, I realized that I have a complex about my hair.

It all started when I was a small child and people would fuss over my hair. Random people would come and put their hands in it or pat me on the head because I supposedly have "good hair" I learned then that something about hair made it important. That importance became abundantly clear when I got to school and had my racial identity questioned before I was old enough to even process a concept of race. All I knew was that something about me made people act differently. There were those poor self-hating people who would pat my head but there were also the others who just gave off negativity and resentment. I even experience it to this day. I was at work a few months back and I was ringing up a customer who had similar hair and feature as me. Some would say that we looked to be from the same tribe. After he left, the customer behind him asked me how we got our hair to do that with a disgusted look on her face. Not only was she assuming that it was the affect of some kind of "process" but that we were wrong for having it.

I thought back to when I was a kid and my mother first let me go the barbershop alone. I plopped myself into the chair with the money balled up into the palm of my hand and asked for the lowest fade I could get. For years I wore my hair so short that you could barely see it. After being so strangely admired and fiercely rejected, the last thing I wanted was to have a symbol of that experience on my head. Deciding on how long to cut my hair the other day made me have a moment. I realized that I internalized the resentment. I cut my hair short and went out of my way to always say how difficult my hair was to avoid making people feel oppressed or less than because of the value society put on my hair. But I love my hair. I love it not because it's straight or represents some white standard of beauty but because it's mine and it reminds me of my mother and my grandmother and all of the people that came before me to create the complex genetic combination that resulted in me. I AM NOT MY HAIR. I finally get it and I decided on something trimmed on the sides,kinda long on the top, and faded in the back.

How do you feel about you coif?

I Fucking Hate Sprint

I hate the company Sprint with every fiber of my being. For the past couple of months I have been in a rage about my bills. It all started when I decided that I wanted text messaging on my phone. Easy enough, I called these bastards to make sure that I have. I thought I was being responsible. They tell me "No, but you can add it with the vision pack." FUCKING LIARS!!! I added that vision pack shit and was texting my ass off until I got my next bill. I had charges over $200. That is not a typo. The charges were over two hundred dollars. I immediately called them to rectify the situation. Behold, they tell me that the vision pack was for Internet (which I don't ever use.) and that the text were like 15 cent per text. After giving them the nice guy act then the cussing of my life, they decided to add a credit to my account.

Sidenote: I don't wanna hear some annoying ass story about how you got Sprint to gives you credit like crazy because that shit has nothing to do with me. Why whenever you have problems with your phone company someone wants to tell you some shit like that?

They add the credit,I payed off half of my bill, and added the text messaging. I went on line today to check my bill and the shit is mad high AGAIN. I called them and they gave me some bullshit excuse about the billing cycles and when the shit is supposed take effect and I went off. I've been with that god awful company for over for years and when I requested that my monthly bill be reduced the ASSHOLE on the phone told me that they could only if I extended my plan another year. Now why in the blue fuck would I wanna go do some shit like that?

Adventures In Starbucks

In the process of writing my Pulitzer prize winning book "An Act of God" I have been spending a lot of time at the local Starbucks. I know that it seems cliche but the pseudo Jazz quiet environment helps me generate some thoughts.

Now the shit that I can't stand about Starbucks is the pretentious ass "baristas" In case you didn't know, barista is Italian for cashier/coffee slinger and whenever I go in they just stand there like they don't work there. I'm an ass so I always say the same thing, "you work here?" I'll be damned if I spend $5 on a coffee and I can't get a "hello." After placing my order I go and sit in the back of the shop to type. Without fail, they decide to clean the coffee machines or something because it starts to smell like burned ass at the same time of the day. Yesterday I noticed something about restaurant restrooms. Women really get the short end of the stick.

They are more likely to have to use one but they probably get the same number of toilets. This leads to the inevitable long line of disgruntled chicks outside the women's restroom whenever I have to go. The other day, there was an older Black woman that rushed in to go. She saw that the men's was empty and asked a few in front of her to go or she would. As she put it, "That one has toilets just like this one. She then slipped in front of a man that was trying to use it saying, "You can wait just like me." GOTTA LOVE BLACK WOMEN, RIGHT?

I think that I'm gonna work on my "scary Black man face" because to many random white people try to start conversations with me. There was a woman who just bought her laptop that needed complete direction to use the wireless. And it wasn't basic questions from a regular computer user. I had to start off by explaining how wireless Internet worked. Is it just me or is it rude to interrupt someone who is working and HAS HEADPHONES IN to help you? I was willing to answer a couple of quick questions but DAMN!! CALL TECH SUPPORT!!

UPDATE: Anybody wanna read the 1st chapter of my book?

Beyonce In A Bikini

I tried to think of some witty reason for why I was posting these pics besides it just being Beyonce in a bikini. I couldn't so without further adieu:

Oh yea, and Joe Camel was there too. Last time they were near a pool together, this happened

American Idol Finale Questions

1. Am I the only one that is completely underwhelmed by/didn't watch this season?
   
2. Wouldn't Sanjaya have killed it if he came out bald?




3. Speaking of Sanjaya, am I the only one who thought that he was gonna do "Dude Looks Like a Lady" when he was announced with Joe Perry of Aerosmith?




4. Since when did American Idol become more interesting than the Grammy's?




5. Doug E. Fresh completely played himself by "battling" a white boy in beatboxing. That's not a question!




6. Why are they making half of every season a freak show?




7. Don't Bebe and Cece Winans always make you smile?




8. Why did Smokie Robinson invent "lightskindedness" and single handedly trying to bring it back.




9. Did anyone stay and watch it til the end?

Is CA-Who? (Clark Atlanta University) Pulling A Mo-BooBoo (Morris Brown)

Several faculty, alumni and students at Clark Atlanta University said Tuesday the school faces a crisis of leadership under president Walter D. Broadnax and called again for his resignation.
The group of about a dozen spoke to a small crowd of alumni and news reporters for about an hour, issuing an open call for Broadnax's successor.
"We all believe in and we all do love Clark Atlanta University," said Lebone Moeti, chairman-elect of Clark Atlanta's faculty assembly. "We remain committed to this institution and we are confident that this crisis can pass. But we do need a president other than President Broadnax to lead this institution."
The group's news conference came as Clark Atlanta's faculty and board of trustees are at odds over the future of its president. Broadnax is at the end of his five-year contract at Clark Atlanta.
He did not attend Tuesday's press conference.
In a report released in April, some faculty members called Broadnax's leadership "incompetent, unproductive, demoralizing, insensitive and arrogant." Among the charges they made were that the administration was intimidating and not inclusive of faculty members and that Broadnax has done little fundraising of his own since 2002.
At the end of the event, Clark Atlanta spokeswoman Debi Miller released a statement highlighting the administration's accomplishments, including the school's newly acquired accreditation status from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and declining deficit.
"Today we have a balanced budget and are fiscally sound," Broadnax said in the statement. He pointed to a $25 million shortfall in 2002 that officials said has been reduced to $4 million.
Administrators say that Clark Atlanta can now begin to focus on fundraising, and Broadnax is preparing to lead a $104 million campaign. An executive vice president position has also been created to take over the daily operations of the school.
Last month, more than 100 faculty members cast a vote of "no confidence" against Broadnax and called for his ouster, citing a "crisis of ineffective and dysfunctional leadership." Clark Atlanta's board of trustees has stood behind Broadnax, who has touted the institution's progress and his commitment to the school.

Read the rest here

In Case You Give A Flying Fuck.

It all started with Anderson Cooper's interview of Cam'ron about the whole "stop snitching" debacle and the Don Imus shit hasn't helped but for some reason, rappers won't shut up. Sometimes I want to destroy the internet for giving a platform to every dumb nigga that thinks the world gives a fuck about his rambling. And before you get started, yes I think the world gives a fuck about my ramblings because I'm smarter than the average bear. There was some recent summit, I guess, and TI was invited and here is what he had to say about banning the words hoe, bitch, and nigga.

And to think that viewing the clip woulda been a complete waste of my time if Tichina "Pam" Arnold hadn't delivered that mean side-eye to the back of his dome. Now, I will admit that I agree with Clifford. Rappers have the right to say what they want and as long as we live in a world that creates bitches, hoes, and niggas, they will talk about it. It is also parents' responsibility to raise their children. I say all of that to say that it doesn't negate each rapper's personal responsibility to themselves and society (yes, society!) And this discussion isn't about WHAT THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO. IT IS ABOUT WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING. I have the right to do plenty of things that are legal but that doesn't affect whether or not they are detrimental to my community and morally reprehensible. To TI, I kindly say shut the fuck up and go raise those 5 kids of yours.


Far be it for me to defend the fashion choices of Kanye West and Pharrell but here goes: let them just do them. In a recent interview, Beanie Sigel's unwashed ass tried to diss them for their fashion choices.

If you were tolerant enough to watch that let me apologize. I should have warned you that the only words he knew were "cool, like, hood, and who." This dude is obviously high but I refuse to take advice from someone who looks like his heart is going to give out any minute and has a rap sheet a mile long. If kids shouldn't wanna be like Pharrell, who should they admire? Beanie Sigel? This man's idea of fashion is a line of clothing called "State Property." That's what our kids need. Dress in something that has a brand just like you'll wear in prison. I hate people like this. Maybe if young Black people were less concerned about how cool you'll look in the hood, we'd actually get out of it because note to Beanie: The fucking hood is NOT cool!! IT SUCKS!!

Sidenote: Clothing has nothing to do with sexuality. There are plenty of guys in Timbs and white tees probably getting fucked right now. Doesn't that happen a lot in places, like jail, that Beanie can't stay out of?

Allow Me To Reintroduce Myself....

My name is Donovan and I have this blog thing. Occassionally people read it so I'm going to let ya'll in on a lil bit of my life. The semester FINALLY ended. It actually seemed to go by prett fast but I just got grades back and they were dismal. Now that the summer has started, I decided to start a few new projects like...continuing making art (did you guys know that I can draw and paint? I went to school for ir for years but decided to become a lawyer), I'm also writing a book and if I must say, it's bomb. That brings me to my first question: when did people take "the" out of "the bomb." I guess it was around the time that "the bomb" stopped being cool and I decided to start using dope. Anyways, this book is a novel loosely based on my experiences thus far in college and when I'm telling you that I'm gonna air folks out...WOOO. SO far I'm on chapter 2 and when I get to a good point, I'll let a few of the regs around here read it (Jules & Prof B that means YOU!)

Sidenote: Did my blog get boring? I feel like I'm doing too much to actually write about how much I'm doing.

I also started smoking (I'm gonna quit) and fell in and out of love within a semester (we will not be discussing that.) So far, this summer has been dedicated as one of growth and personal development. I am soooo going to learn to drive and I've sent out letter to a few potential law internships. I had planned to grab some Dorito's and watch "The Price Is Right" all summer but Bob Barker's inconsistant ass decided to quit on me (shout-out to Bob B. and RIP Rod Roddy *pours out a lil Kool-Aid*)

If this post looks a lil rushed it's because blogger deleted the last 2 that I did and I just want to get something out. OK. I feel better. And here, as a treat, for your eyes and ears is my BFF Alexyss Tylor again going off about a call that she got.