R. Kelly Reveals Childhood Abuse, Jay-Z McBeef and Tragic First Love in ‘Soulacoaster’

R. Kelly‘s book “Soulacoaster: The Diary of Me” is officially out. In the memoir, the R&B singer opens up about falling victim to sexual abuse when he was a child, having a feud with his tourmate Jay-Z in their joint tour, and remembering his first girlfriend who was drowned when they were playing near a creek during one of their playdates. READ MORE

Black, Brazilian and on the brink: Nilton Borges, Jr. is a fine dining chef on the rise at New York City’s Amali

While many of us are huge fans of Samuelsson and his über trendy Red Rooster restaurant in Harlem, it doesn’t mean we wouldn’t like to see some new black faces in the ranks of today’s celebrated high profile chefs. Sadly, the numbers are quite bleak. Statistics show that in the United States, the number of black chefs is only about nine percent, compared to white chefs at close to 60 percent of the total. But as Sam Cooke once sang, “A Change is Gonna Come.” In fact, the change is already on its way. READ MORE

Women Must Learn to Play the Game as Men Do

The machinery of party politics has always been in the hands of men, and still is. Our statesmen and legislators are still keeping in form as the successors of the early warriors gathering around the campfire plotting the next day’s attack. Yes, they have made feints indicating they are willing to take women into the high councils of the parties. But, in fact, the women who have gone into the political game will tell you they are excluded from any actual kind of important participation. They are called upon to produce votes, but they are kept in ignorance of noteworthy plans and affairs. Their requests are seldom refused outright, but they are put off with a technique that is an art in itself. The fact is that generally women are not taken seriously. With certain exceptions, men still as a class dismiss their consequence and value in politics, cherishing the old-fashioned concept that their place is in the home. While women’s votes are a factor to be counted upon, and figure largely in any impending campaign, the individual women who figure in party councils are regarded by their male conferèes as having no real power back of them. And they haven’t.

Men who work hard in party politics are always recognized, or taken care of in one way or another. Women, most of whom are voluntary workers and not at all self-seeking, are generally expected to find in their labor its own reward. When it comes to giving the offices or dealing out favors, men are always given precedence. READ MORE

Esquire Bets New ‘Dude Lit’ Will Entice Men to Read Fiction

“Esquire’s attempting to bring men back to fiction reading — which I totally support,” [Jezebel writer Erin Gloria] Ryan told ABCNews.com. “But they’re doing it in a way that’s a little eye roll-inducing — It’s a little dismaying that we’re still entrenched in a way of thinking that routinely encourages women to confront and understand the experiences of men, but men can’t be bothered to read about the experiences of women, and it’s especially dismaying to see a leading men’s magazine endorsing that antiquated way of thinking.” READ MORE

President’s second major ‘Supreme’ victory is picturesque

Obama’s ‘Dewey Defeats Truman’ Moment

The big mistake was to characterize a Constitutional law professor as a ‘community organizer’. And from said action a critical error in judgement was set into motion, leading to the gross underestimating a formidable adversary. Championing the causes of the American people is a responsibility he doesn’t take lightly. Thus, two recent Supreme Court victories in sweet succession, adding serious points to the score, artfully demonstrates the power, depth and majesty to what is commonly referred to in learned circles as ‘the long game’. Word to the wise: ‘You can choose to demonize. You can  choose to minimize. But either way, you and you alone are responsible for your own delusions.’ Reality check, please!