Usher: Mad About MILFs?

Oedipus Complex - a group of largely unconscious (dynamically repressed) ideas and feelings which center around the desire to possess the parent of the opposite sex...

Hmmmmmmm.....

Now before all you Usher stans start flooding our inbox, just walk with me here for a minute while I  psycholanalyze. I am more than qualified to do so according to my mad stupid fresh degree from Sanz School. Now, I'm in NO WAY saying that Usher wants his mommy, BUT, I have noticed his pattern of dating older, strong willed women, who, in two cases, resemble Jonetta just a bit, so let's just agree that it's not a stretch to say he appreciates a mother figure of sorts. Hey I'll be his other mammy. He's a cutie. 

Brew Bits: Usher & Tameka Finally Divorce

In what could be one of the biggest stunts to sell an album...

Word on the curb is Usher's split from his estranged wife is now official. Pop a bottle Momma Jonetta!

No word on what Tameka gets from the deal.  Sorry, Ursh & MANeka, I still say Paul McCartney had one of the best celebrity divorces of all time!

I'm just sayin'...

Spotted @ Entertainment Rundown

Deep Throat from the Dirty South

I love the show Intervention on A&E. Camera crews follow addicts and wait for them to get the shakes or shank a ho. When they hit rock bottom the family Debos them during a "come to Jesus"in a Howard Johnson's. The addict then chooses to continue to suck dick for dollars or jump on a Southwest flight to a Florida rehab. Well if this next story is true, I think it's time for A&E to pay a little visit to TaMANka Foster Raymond because she's apparently addicted to doing hoodrat stuff lately like keying cars, posing with dried lip rappers and stepping in the name of love. The editor of Hip Hossip in Toronto claims Usher's old Duvet cover left a dirty message on her answering machine. Tameka reportedly felt the blogger talked smack about her. The blogger played the phone message for some industry biggies who confirmed the identity of Deep Throat from the Dirty South. Desperation is never a good look. You can't be all India Arie one day writting quotes and proverbs for Essence then Remy-ma-ing the next. Pick a spirit and stay with it! Be fab Meek, that's the best revenge.

Brew Bits: Tameka Raymond

Maybe it WAS surgery to die for. He She looks great!!

Pics credit: Robert Ector

 (You ATL peeps get a lil rabid, like you just found out the internet shares your shit...)

Tameka Claps Back?

Tameka's throwing some shade to Usher over his new song, "Papers."

Peep it.

The You, Me and He Chronicles

Usher a.k.a. Xi took a break from collecting residuals from The Gods Must Be Crazy to report on some craziness at his crib. The Brew gave you the scoop last week's when word spread that TaMANka reportedly showed up at his mama's house actin' a fool and scratchin' his ride with her cougar claws? We'll we've got the 911 tapes. Check under the skirt!
.

You Can Burn Up My Clothes...

...smash up my ride.  Well, maybe not the ride!
-Prince

Usher's estranged husband wife Tameka is denying reports that she recently scratched up his whip.  Tameka's rep tells TMZ, "This is just another attempt to disparage Tameka.  It's simply an angry ploy that has no merit."

Usher reportedly called police and accused Tameka of sneaking onto his property and scratching one of his cars.  When cops got to the scene, Tameka was ghost.

Police later interviewed both Tameka and Usher and now say there's no evidence or witnesses to substantiate the claim.  But word is that Tameka's car was damaged.  But it's her car, not registered to Usher.

Oh, the plot thickens.

Tameka: Soujah Girl Tell 'Em

I'm all about reading between the lines and methinks Meek Meek's latest scribe is taking aim at Usha! He is reportedly holding off on signing divorce papers. Could he be that desperate for fooder to boost record sales after his latest flop? Is he selling out like she claims? Why does he look like Xi from The Gods Must Be Crazy? So many questions!

To be or not to be…but at what cost? It’s almost inconceivable the lengths that some artists & entertainers feel obligated to go to keep themselves in the headlines. The prioritization of fan base over God, family, morals, and over just plain ol’ fashioned common sense is an example of that remarkable distance. I think it’s important to understand the premise of letting a character that’s been created for fans drown out who you really are. One easily can become a zombie, while the people who love them waste away looking for the sea salt. It becomes so easy to sell your soul to the entertainment business while creating an illusion of grandeur. Hence, this painfully obvious thirst for relevance that completely overshadows sensibility. Thirsty much?

When I started in this business over 14 years ago, I was a stylist (fashion) for many well-known artists both upcoming and platinum selling, I never imagined the atmosphere would become this cloudy or eerie. I was trying to define the images of young hopefuls who thought “my way” would set them apart from the masses. Often dorky and clunky, trying to find themselves in defiant color schemes, wrongly combined textures and overworked fashion techniques. Although, consumers see the finished product but are remiss as to what goes into the development. It isn’t always a graceful process. Silly belts, headgear and nervously popped collars often highlighted a level of awkwardness in identity. I’ve watched boys become men and helped boys become men. Yet this identity crisis that hovers over much of the entertainment world is like a crimson cape of insecurity as does this obsession with being “hot” and having “followers.” While fans fixate over the lives of their idols, some celebrities have become slaves to the persona that has been created for them but rarely has anything to do with who they are. Shock value. Publicity stunts. Peddling relationships like a vagabond for a few hundred double clicks on their fans favorite blog sites.

Who are they really?

Some of your favorite artists were born into the industry or should I say “grandfathered” into it and never got the chance to figure it out. Driven by vicarious dreams of demanding managers/labels, artists are a “what” not a “who.” Their “what” is the gross, their “who” is the net. Artists get whatever is left of themselves after the world takes its share. It all reminds me of a scene from the film “The Devils Advocate” where souls were sold for money, class, and status.

The mirrors have definitely become smoky. So much in fact that it makes it hard for one to decipher reality from the facade. Is it Live or Memorex? Even the public should recognize the #FF (fame fanatics) who go to such great lengths to garner attention ranging from publicity ploys, outlandish stage outfits, sex tapes, head shaving, public grand standing, picture leaks and throwing tantrums. From vintage concepts of dating shows in hopes of finding a soul mate (huh? #wheredotheydothatat) to trying to hit Billboard Charts by any means necessary. Surely, the fans know better than to think what flows from “the pen” of any writer embodies the details of another human’s deepest and true desires. Sadly, men singing about love, politics, marriage, children or anything genuine and benevolent equates to album sales flop, mundane chatter and waning popularity. It takes a song about disparaging all the aforementioned just to get accolades and spins on the radio. Unlike a mathematical equation the negative induces the positive. The need to placate fans puts artists at their mercy, leading to maniacal decisions. But I guess desperate times call for desperate measures. I digress….

Nowadays some artists, entertainers, producers and even songwriters are going as far as buying magazine covers and paying photographers to follow them like paparazzi. It’s called #stayingrelevant. I say amass the fortune, help others and bump the fame, but that sentiment is not often shared. The fame, notoriety, popularity and prestige i.e. “the Light” for some is parallel to a drug. So much self-value is encompassed, without it life to them has little worth. Is it life imitating art or art imitating life?

Before the tirades and “smoke and mirror-esque” themes, when music actually made sense, even a mere decade ago, it was something we created memories with, celebrated, made and raised our kids to. It embodied our diverse cultures, experiences, and gave others a peek into our soulful worlds. Yet there are many like Lauryn, Mary J, Common and others that are non-conformists. They have never compromised themselves, their sexuality nor their art, yet they remain timeless. Although standing in “the Light’ has had its costs for all, selling one’s soul for relevance is completely different. It makes one wonder the cost of buying it back. I believe that many of these artists today lack the confidence in self that proves to be true staying power. Where there is absolute talent, no drama, no controversy, no nonsensical angles are needed. Its called: Do what God gave you the talent to do and leave the shenanigans to vaudeville and the games to Milton Bradley.

For those naysayers, I don’t feel the need to run down my list of qualifications or validate myself, or point out the careers I have funded, started, saved, and salvaged. Yet I will say to those that create diversions for relevancy...to stop, save face, don’t listen to those that benefit more from their advice to you, and ask God for suitable guidance. In the meantime don’t feel inclined to do anything that isn’t organic. At this point, I think I may start my own trending topic #betruetoyourself.

Those that actually KNOW me, know how I love a quote that is apropos, so as Dr. Seuss wrote:

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."

Help Save A Lobe

Dear Tameka, I know life can suck sometimes and you're going through a lot right now BUT Ima need you not to torture your ear hole like that. Holy hanging planter! Your lobe is really ready to quit this bitch!

Brew Bits: Looks Like Mek Mek Plagiarized Her "Pretty for A Dark Skinned Girl" Piece....

Source

Tsk tsk tsk Mek Mek.... how could you?! Seems the real author of Tameka's "woe is me, I'm dark and everybody hates me", piece submitted to huffington post has come forward and told bvbuzz that she was pretty much stunned and amazed to be reading her thoughts and words as she read Tameka's post. Mek Mek, it is not right to steal the work of another just cause your teenage husband wants a divorce, you are a complete bamma if this is true! Here's what Aisha Curry (the real author of the piece) has to say:



"My heart sank into my stomach. All the hard work, all the sleepless nights I had endured was playing back in my head as I read this article written by a woman I didn't even know," Curry told BV Buzz. "Why did I feel so connected to this article? Suddenly, it came to me. It was my work! It was my work, my voice, but in her words. I was frozen. Tears began rolling down my face as I read line after line after line. I couldn't believe it. The idea that someone could gain notoriety from an issue that I first brought to the forefront is mind-boggling. People were praising her for tackling an issue that had never been exposed. Hello? I wrote the book on it and started it years ago. The only difference between her article and my book is she used 'dark-skinned' and I used 'black.'" Curry said she began writing 'Pretty for a Black Girl' in 2007 after receiving compliments about her beauty, only to have them followed up with a reference to her ethnicity.

"I received the link, and it changed my life. A friend told me that they had read an article in the Huffington Post called 'She's Pretty for a Dark-Skinned Girl' written by Tameka Foster. I knew the title was similar to my book, but I didn't jump to any conclusions," Curry recalled. "So, I went to the site and began reading this article. If she would have changed the words 'dark-skinned' to 'black,' it would be exactly the same title as my book. My frustration quickly turned to anger, and I sought God for answers. 'What do I do? What can I do?' At that moment, the appropriate reaction was tears. All I could do was cry! Thankfully, I had the support of my family and close friends who surrounded me with love. They quoted scriptures from the Bible, which gave me strength. I began to receive phone calls from people who had read the book and they said: 'Wow, I felt like I have heard all that before.' That's when I decided to do something. I picked up the phone and called as many supporters as I could."

To learn more about Aisha Curry's book, 'Pretty for a Black Girl,' visit her Web site www.aishacurry.com.

Mek Mek that is just foul! And bust what her rep's rebuttal was, "Tameka has never even heard of the book you referenced nor does she believe you even deserve a response."

OH NO SHE DIDN'T!!!!

Brew Bits: Tameka Raymond Dropping that Dark Skinned Science...

Tameka Raymond wrote a very interesting article over at Huffingtonpost.com about the never ending issue black people have with darker hued black people. I for one get so so so tired of hearing us go down the list of all the things we're mixed with, "well my great great great grandmother was Cherokee Indian, my great great uncle on my hairdresser's side was Polynesian and my father on my mechanic's side was from Fiji". *sigh* yes it is no surprise that most African- Americans are mixed with something, we all know what went down with 'Massa' back in the day. So it would be so nice if we would stop listing all the ethnicities in our bloodstream like they somehow make us a more exotic and relevant black person.

So anyway Ms. Raymond speaks the truth, here is an excerpt. Go here to read the entire post in its entirety.

It is a fact that many African-Americans are often mixed with an array of other ethnicities (as am I), which allows for the spectrum of our features to be as distinctive and special as we are diverse. Why is it felt that the more diluted our traditionally African features become the more aesthetically acceptable we are considered? It was said in the 1960s and the sentiment seems to be forgotten, "Black is Beautiful." Wow, nearly 50 years later and is that now only meant for a specific shade? Nonetheless, I believe the beauty of our people and splendor of every individual is reflected in our varying features and hues.

Often dark-skinned women are considered mean, domineering and standoffish and it was these very labels that followed Michelle Obama during the campaign for her husband's presidency and which she has had to work tirelessly to combat. I was appalled when I heard a Black woman refer to Michelle Obama as unattractive. The conversation turned into why President Obama picked her as his mate. No one in the witch-hunt made reference to the possibility that Michelle Obama was smart, funny, caring, a good person, highly accomplished or brilliant. Nor did they mention that she previously was President Obama's supervisor. If she were fair skinned, petite with long straight or wavy hair, would the same opinions be linked to her? I seriously doubt it. It is believed that for the dark skinned, dreams are less obtainable.

In fact, I have read similar comments about myself that I am "dark, aggressive, bossy and bitchy." It has been stated that my husband should have been with a "younger, more beautiful" woman. Astoundingly, the majority of the remarks come from African-American women and are mimicked by others. Sadly enough, I don't know nor have I met 99% of those making these assertions. Funny, how we can judge another without having personally seen, interacted with or experienced a person's character.

As I began to delve into further research on this topic, and the more I read, I concluded that many of our people do not like what they see in the mirror. Seeing ones own reflection in another person and then to dissect it in an effort to destroy can only be the product of self-loathing. Why don't we congratulate as opposed to hate?

Another One Bites The Dust

I guess sneaking off to have surgery with his money is no way to keep yo’ man. After just 2 years of marriage, word is Usher is divorcing Tameka Foster Raymond, the mother of his two sons. The couple reportedly hasn’t lived together in nearly a year (but the youngest son is 6 months…hmmm). Is Usher packin’ it so well that it can reach across town, or was some undercover nookie going on?

One of the alleged reasons for the divorce filing is Tameka’s decision to jet down to Brazil in February for a little nip tuck, a near fatal nip tuck. Usher didn’t know his wife was to undergo the procedure, just two months after giving birth.

Rumors of a break-up have been flying around for months. Tameka took some virtual jabs over the weekend via Twitter:

Tameka Raymond exchanged words with an Atlanta based blogger over the weekend. Said blogger, attacked the mother of Usher's two boys, tweeting (twitter) "checking to see if a married man can't creep with his product manager while his wife sits on Twitter."Addressing a woman, that has now been confirmed to be a product manager at Def Jam working with Usher for business purposes (that was spotted and photographed alone with Usher) the blogger went on to say "So what if that girl is a product manager. Weren't you Usher's stylist? And weren't you married at the time?"Foster, after ignoring the blogger for some time, responded "She is ugly, mad 'cuz she has no man, can't find a good woman, sh--'s all bad!!! I'd be salty nuts too...ya'll sing Kum by Ya for her....lol."

A clear sign that things are over? Usher’s momma is back in the picture. You’ll recall that when Tameka hit the scene, his mother fell back. Is it me or when the momma doesn’t like the wife, that union never works out? Discuss?