The Double Scoop

Fox Premieres Empire

Author: Ashley E.

The highly anticipated series Empire premiered last night on Fox. The show introduces us to Lucious Lyon (played by Terrence Howard), the head of Empire Entertainment. Lucious is aware that his business is not as profitable as it once was due to the changes in the music industry over the years. As he looks for other financial opportunities to keep his empire secure, he discovers that he has ALS and has an estimated 3 years or less to live. This is where the plot thickens. Lucious has to appoint someone to take over the business so he turns to his three sons to see which one can step up and fill his shoes. The brothers are as different as night and day. Hakeem and Jamal are both music artists and the oldest brother Andre chose to avoid the celebrity lifestyle altogether. Hakeem is young and reckless but Lucious makes it a priority to manage his youngest son’s career in an attempt to turn him into a mega star that will bring more money to his empire. Jamal is a very talented artist as well but because of his homosexual lifestyle, his dad looks upon him as the “black sheep” of the family. The oldest son is seemingly well rounded and responsible; however his lack of affiliation to the entertainment industry causes his dad to question his leadership.

Taraji P. Henson’s character Cookie ignites the show. The first episode shows her being released from jail after serving 17 years for selling drugs. When she gets out, she finds out a lot has changed with the empire she helped to establish, her 3 sons, and the man she once loved. She is back to remind Lucious that she sacrificed years of her life to help build the business and she wants her piece of the pie. The competition to take over the throne is in full throttle! Will the love of money and power cause a split in the family? We shall see.

It was also great to see Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard unite on the screen again. Ironically Terrence Howard’s character looked like he stepped out of a scene from Hustle and Flow. Henson and Howard co-starred in the 2005 film.

Working 9 to 5 Just To Stay Alive

Author: Ashley E.

I can’t count how many times I’ve seen comments and memes from people flooding my social media pages, expressing how much they hate their jobs and how they can’t wait for the weekend. I’ve posted a few memes myself regarding my frustration about working a job that I hate because bills have to get paid. I had a conversation with my sister about how the thought of going to school for so many years just to prepare to work for someone for the rest of your life is depressing. I do realize that in order for the average person to sustain a lifestyle, that person has to work to earn an income. We have bills to pay, food and clothes to buy, families to support, and with whatever is leftover we want to try to somewhat enjoy life within the madness.

I came across an interview that J Cole did with Angie Martinez on Power 105.1 recently and he spoke on the same topic. He said the following about working a job that you hate:

“We all sellouts….. You selling out. You going to something you don’t like. Why? So you can live and survive. To me life don’t feel like it’s supposed to be like that no more. It feel like somebody time gotta be worth more than $8 an hour. You spend your whole day going to work, 8 hours out of your day. A day is only 24 hours, you gonna sleep 8 of those so right away that’s 16 hours. Half of your day is making $8 an hour. Even if you get $15 an hour and they trying to raise minimum wage. A hour of my life is worth $15? Ok but I gotta do it, I gotta work, I gotta eat.”

He also touched on some other heavy issues that most people are afraid to discuss. He referred to capitalism as paid slavery, and he discussed how most people are out for themselves looking to make a profit despite what is being jeopardized in the process. He even went as far as to say the type of food we eat, music we listen to and type of shows we watch are detrimental; however, at the end of the day someone is making money off all of it. He stated:

“That’s what capitalism teaches us. It’s a every man for himself mentality. It’s a I gotta be on top….For me to be on top, I gotta have a bottom. For me to own McDonalds, I gotta have somebody at the bottom working at McDonalds. For me to own any company, any business… Capitalism is like… to me it’s like… I don’t know the alternative; I don’t even know if it exists. I don’t think we’ve evolved to something that exists yet, but capitalism is just paid slavery. It’s the same set up as slavery, only difference was slaves wasn’t getting paid.”

Martinez addressed his taking part in the Ferguson protests, and he opened up on how he feels that we live within a system that wants us to become so preoccupied and distracted with our own lives that we don’t have time to take a stand on anything or have compassion for someone else.

“The people at the top love the fact that everybody is so busy with themselves and their own lives that they don’t have the time to stand for something or to fight for something.”

“It’s graduate college and it’s like now I gotta pay my bills now, I gotta get this deal before my time runs out. Like life happens and you worry about all this stuff and you don’t have the time to fight for nothing no more. You don’t have the time to even care because I got my own kids… yea this man died, but it’s like yo bruh I got bills and twitter is popping right now, and Instagram is hot, and ‘Love and Hip Hop Reunion’ is on. It’s like they love to distract you and like keep you occupied while they just molest the world and milk the world. You know what I mean?”

J Cole said a mouthful. He has been one of my top favorite rappers for a while now; not just because of his music but because of his mindset and intelligence. This interview made me have a new level of respect for him. He was very vocal about certain taboo topics on his latest album 2014 Forest Hills Drive, and he recently gave an emotional and powerful performance on the Dave Letterman Show that even left the host almost speechless.

Check out the interview here.

NOT SETTLING OR BEING TOO PICKY?

Author: Amy Nicole

I’ve been told two scenarios when it comes to being in a relationship and getting married. One scenario is that dating and marriage aren’t about love but about what you can deal with in another person. The other is that marriage is too hard to just settle because you have to really love someone to be able to put up with his/her flaws.

I haven’t been in a relationship in a while but I do date, and I’ve been told by some people that the reason I’m still single is probably because I’m too picky. Don’t get me wrong I do want a nice guy but if I’m going to commit to a person I want it to be with someone who I really like and who excites me.

I wanted to get other people’s opinions on what they thought the difference between being too picky and settling was so I asked a few people on social media. Here are a few responses that I received:

Being picky is focusing on physical things like height, weight, appearance, good teeth, etc and also on what monetary things the person possesses like cars, money, house, etc. Some of the things are ok, like if you have a thing for teeth then by all means find a man with straight teeth, but if all your qualifications are about the physical appearance or monetary possessions then you are being too picky.

People settle for a number of reasons: they don’t want to be alone, would rather have a piece of a man than none at all, don’t want to start over, comfort, sex, being afraid they won’t find better, etc.

Misplaced priorities…..They find things they feel are important & put up with the rest.

“Settling” enables the belief that one is “too good” for another when it’s really just about preferences & matching them.

Most people agreed that being “too picky” is when you focus more on physical and materialistic qualities like looks and money and “not settling” is when you refuse to commit to someone whose lifestyle or personality doesn’t benefit your own in a positive way.

Some may ask what’s wrong with wanting the type of person that you want to be with even if the qualities are very shallow. I can’t argue with that, but like I’ve always been told you need to be the type of person that you are looking for. If you want someone who is sexy, rich, and has a nice body then you need to make sure that you have those same characteristics. Like the saying goes “don’t be a penny looking for a dime”! One important fact that most people should realize is that you are never going to find someone who is perfect. Maybe I’m being naïve to believe that true love still exists, but when it comes to me committing the rest of my life with someone you better believe that I’m going to make sure that I am capable of loving that person unconditionally and for him to be able to do the same for me.

This article was also featured in Inspire Magazine.

Cheers to the New Year!

The Double Scoop is just getting their feet wet. We are not quite 2 months old and we’re only 5 posts in, but we’re excited about the New Year and the things we’re working on for our brand. We want to wish everyone a happy, safe, and prosperous New Year. To our fellow dream chasers, keep pursuing what you love and what makes you happy. Make this year count! Cheers to the New Year!

His Past Ain’t Pretty

Author: Ashley E

When it comes to starting new romantic relationships, most of us have some baggage or skeletons in the closet from previous relationships that we are carrying with us into the new relationship. I mean at some point we’re all going to be someone’s leftovers unless you are one of the lucky ones who fall in love and stay with the first person you are seriously dating. About 2 months ago I was watching an episode of Shonda Rhimes’ new hit show How to get away with Murder and it focused on an interesting topic. Law student, Michaela Pratt discovered that her fiancé Aiden had sex with one of her classmates when he was in high school. You might think, ok that was years ago and everyone has a past, BUT the tea is that her classmate is a man. That changes the situation completely. Michaela’s fiancé wasn’t planning on telling her about what happened, and she only found out because her classmate made a joke that he could have been the one getting married. Confused by his joke, she confronted Aiden and he embarrassingly admitted that it was something stupid that just happened in his past and that it didn’t mean anything to him.

My first thought was if you willingly slept with another man, you ARE gay! You can’t have sex with another man and say it was no big deal or that it was just a one time incident. Even if it was just once, you still had sex with another MAN! Is it more excusable because it happened while he was in high school? Have times changed so much now that having casual sex with another man is normal to men who consider themselves straight? Apparently for some men that is the case; some men look at sex as just sex even if it is with another man. I think that makes it even more difficult for single women dating and for women already in relationships. When getting to know a man now, a woman has to ask, “Well, have you ever had sex with another man?” WOW!! The dating struggle is real out here. Michaela decided to stay with her fiancé after he assured her that he wasn’t gay and that it would never happen again.

My sister asked me if I would have stayed with the fiancé. My first response was, “HELL NO,” but then I thought about it. I guess it’s one of those issues that you don’t know how you would handle until you’re faced with the situation. When you get engaged to someone, you have probably invested a lot of time into that person and you love the person, so can you really cut it off that easily? Do you just believe him when he tells you it was only a one time incident and that he is not gay? I would be so skeptical going into a marriage like that because in the back of my mind I will always wonder if he is really gay and if being with me is just a cover. Does he secretly desire to be with another man or maybe both women and men and is just too afraid to live that life publicly?

AmeriCan

Author: Ashley E

Actor Nate Parker recently released a short film titled AmeriCAN in light of the domino effect of young black men being killed at the hands of law enforcement officers. Let me just add how much I love Nate Parker; not just as an actor, but also as a person and the role he chose to take on as an activist fighting for justice. I watched the 14 minute film yesterday and it packed a powerful message in such a short time span. Any person regardless of their race can learn something from this film. It shines light on the subconscious perceptions we have of one another. It also addresses the lack of empathy people tend to have for someone that is not similar to them. We have to learn to change the way we view each other and it starts with how we view ourselves. Check out the film here.

Pay Attention

Author: Ashley E

I’m very off and on when it comes to having a favorite music artist these days, mainly because most artists aren’t consistent with the type of music they put out, or either they’re not consistent with the image of themselves they portrayed when they first arrived on the music scene. But I guess in an ever-changing music industry it’s difficult to be successful without losing or changing something about yourself or your music to appeal to what the mainstream wants.

Big Krit is an artist that is an exception in my opinion. I found out about KRIT around 2009 or 2010 and I’ve been rocking with him ever since. Being from the south I was drawn to his southern and soulful sound and his lyrical content. He has been referred to as a certified mind f*cker because of his story telling ability, word play and creative metaphors. Every time I listen to his music I catch something that I missed the previous time. His music speaks to me and it’s memorable unlike a lot of music now that is hot for a minute then you eventually forget about it. The advantage KRIT has over a lot of artist is his ability to produce and create his own music and beats, giving him full control over the quality of his work. His fan base has been largely underground, but he has stated many times that he doesn’t have a desire to take the mainstream route. I think that’s what most fans including myself love about him the most; his authenticity.

Being a fellow Mississippian, I feel like KRIT is someone who I know personally and have watched grow over the years. Just like many artists he started off struggling to make it in the industry and even when he got in the door, it was a challenge and still is a challenge for others to take him serious and recognize his undeniable talent. Two weeks ago he dropped his second album Cadillactica and with the overwhelming positive reaction from fans and even the naysayers, people can’t help but to “Pay Attention” to the rising MC. I’m so proud of my country cousin and I think the best is yet to come for him. Shine on KRIT!

I wrote my first piece on Big Krit two years ago. You can check it out here. Dear Justin

Photo Source: Def Jam

Big Krit/ Breakfast Club Interview

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NaoZmLyEoQ&w=560&h=315]

Try Again: The Aaliyah Movie Recap

Author: Ashley E

Try Again, the title of a hit track by the late singer Aaliyah ironically also describes the internet reactions from many of the fans who watched the movie that premiered on Lifetime Saturday night. As an Aaliyah fan, I was very disappointed by what I saw, but based on all of the controversy surrounding the movie from the beginning of filming, I didn’t have high expectations for the film.

I just don’t know where to begin with everything that went wrong with the movie. A huge issue that a lot of the fans had was the casting choices for the film. Originally Disney star Zendaya Coleman was cast to play Aaliyah. She caught hell from outraged fans who felt she looked nothing like the late star. Of course the race card was brought up and the media twisted the story to imply that fans felt that Zendaya wasn’t “black enough” to play Aaliyah despite her being biracial. I shared the sentiments of most fans who felt it was Zendaya’s lack of resemblance to Aaliyah rather than her skin complexion that was the problem. They just didn’t look anything alike. Alexandra Shipp, another young star who is also biracial eventually snagged the role after Zendaya decided to pull out of the movie. Zendaya explained that her decision had nothing to do with Aaliyah’s outraged fans but more to do with the shady production of the movie itself.

Aaliyah (left) Zendaya Coleman (right)

Aaliyah (left) Alexandra Shipp (right)

Chattrisse Dolabaille (top left) was cast to play Missy Elliot (top right) and Izaak Smith (bottom left) was cast to play Timbaland (bottom right)

That brings me to the next issue I had with the movie. The family of Aaliyah stated years ago that they didn’t want a movie to be made about her life, so they had no involvement with the Lifetime movie production. Because of this producers weren’t able to gain access to the music rights of Aaliyah which is why the movie contained no original music. That fact alone was the set up for a movie doomed for failure. With no input from family and friends, the writers based the movie solely off of a book about Aaliyah titled Aaliyah: More Than a Woman which was written in 2001. Additional details in the movie were just fabrications of what the private star’s life was probably like. How can you accurately portray the life of a person without any input from the people who were a part of her life? The movie wasn’t even worthy enough to be called a biopic. I think Aaliyah fans were cheated because nothing about the movie embodied Aaliyah. Her mannerisms, style, persona, and sound were recreated. It was a bootleg version of the original Aaliyah and nothing about the movie felt authentic.

When gossip queen Wendy Williams jumped on board as an executive producer for the movie I knew things would only get worse. Wendy was adamant about shining light on the alleged relationship between the R&B star and singer/producer R. Kelly. When she was only 15 it was rumored that Aaliyah and at the time a 28 year old R. Kelly secretly wed. Besides a discovered marriage certificate, the matter was never addressed or publicized by either Kelly or Aaliyah who both denied the rumors. To focus so much of the movie on the alleged relationship was just disrespectful to the family, friends, and fans of Aaliyah. I think the movie did more harm than good to her image.

Honestly I think it would have been better if a movie was never made; if you’re not going to tell the story right, don’t tell it at all. There has been talk that another big screen movie is in the works about the star’s life but I think it’s unnecessary at this point. The only reason I would want to see another Aaliyah movie is just so a more accurate portrayal of her life could be shown. Just let fans remember the image they had of Aaliyah, and for those who want more insight into who exactly the R&B princess was, there are enough interview clips and music on the internet to give a clearer picture than what the movie depicted.

RIP Baby Girl

“It’s hard to say what I want my legacy to be when I’m long gone. I want people to remember me as a full on entertainer and a good person.” ~Aaliyah

The internet memes and commentary throughout the movie from fans were hilarious. Music producer and friend to Aaliyah, Timbaland even jumped on instagram to post his thoughts about the movie that he referred to as some bull sh#t! Check out some highlights below.