Troy

Here is a title that is very popular, but flying under the radar of the mainstream and even the Black media (what little remains of it). From Niggas to Gods, Part One by Akil (Lushena Books, 1993) Students from Chatham Academy review From Niggas to Gods Excerpt: So, here we are. Here we are, the Mothers and Fathers of Supreme Civilization, living within the most self-destructive uncivilized state of mind, called “Nigga”. “Nigga” is a state of mind that leads to a state of existence. ” Nigga” is a state of mind and existence in which we live. so here we are How did we get here? We have not always lived within this state of mind. We once lived within a state of mind that produced Supreme Black Excellence, and Supreme Black Genius. Our Ancestors called this state of mind and state of existence “God”. We were all divine Gods and Goddesses, but Children of the most high God, who serves as our Master Teacher toward the divinity within our own nature. Well as you know, we are no longer existing on the level of ” God and Goddesses”, we are now existing on the level of “Niggas”. We have been psychologically, biologically, and therefore spiritually reduced from “Gods to Niggas”. We have destroyed and reduced to dust. Look, all of this tragedy is true, but wait! Today is a good day! Today is a new day! This is the beginning of our re-contruction. The day of our destruction is over.

This book recommendation is courtesy of our friends at The Museum of UnCut Funk Blaxploitation Cinema: The Essential Reference Guide Dazzling, highly stylized, excessively violent and brimming with sex, Blaxploitation films enjoyed a brief and memorable moment in motion picture history -- and never before or since - have so many African American performers been featured in starring roles. Twenty-five years after they first thrilled audiences, Blaxploitation films are enjoying a robust renaissance. The genre, with its bevy of colorful, contemporary characters, irresistible soundtracks and catchy titles, has taken its rightful place among the entertainment industry's most enjoyed and influential films. Here's a new and appreciative look back at a distinctly American motion picture phenomenon, the first truly comprehensive examination of the genre, its films, its trends and its far-reaching impact, covering more than 240 Blaxploitation films in detail. This is the primary reference book on the genre, covering not just the films' heyday (1971-1976) but the entire decade (1970-1980).

This question was posted on Facebook. I have a policy of not materially participating in conversations on Facebook, because this activity takes away from activity on indie sites and enriches Facebook. In this case, I made an exception, but I also decided to share my comments here. "I have one but it doesn't get a lot of attention no matter what I do. So I seldom post on there anymore. I just keep it up for random visitors." --Barbara Barbara, I guess that depends on how you define "working for you." Many people consider the page successful if they get a lot of likes and shares. That is because Facebook is their primary web presence (a terrible move in my opinion). Others, looking for sales, have found it increasingly difficult to drive traffic to a place where visitors will buy. The Facebook buy button makes it easier for potential readers to buy one's book. But this allows Facebook to ensure that visitors never leave their website, while addressing one of the biggest problem we have; the inability to sell or otherwise monetize our Facebook pages. Of course Facebook will now have the additional information collected from our sales and, needless to say, they will ultimately collect a percentage of sales. Barbara, I suspect (I don't have data--though I wish someone would collect it), that most authors feel the same way you do. I talk to enough of them. There are many reasons your Facebook page may not be working very well. The problem is several of those reasons have nothing to do with you (it is not entirely your fault). Sure, it could be true that few are interested in your book, but we will never truly know because Facebook artificially controls the traffic to your page. Merit has nothing to do with it. You could buy ads to drive traffic to your page, but you run into the same problem, it takes a greater spend to drive the same level of engagement over time. Personally I have seen my "Fans" quadruple to almost 20K, but I've watched my engagement go down by 75%. I would actually argue that my content has improved during this period. In other words, I've been able to control for my activity. The only thing that remains is how frequently Facebook shows my content to others. I have observed that Facebook has simply stopped showing my content to others as frequently. I believe they do this because I ALWAYS include a link to my website http://aalbc.com. Facebook, in their goal of keeping people on Facebook, has no incentive to drive traffic away from their platform. In the early days of the web, before people could easily establish their own web presence, companies like AOL dominated. But once it became easy for people to establish their own websites the web exploded in content. Black sites thrived back then. Amazingly, we have reversed course and are going back to the AOL days, when a corporate entity, controlled, owned and profited from everything we did. It has gotten to the point that people are happy that Facebook has proved a Buy Button--as if this is something we could not do on our own websites. Ultimately, people will grow tired of the invasion of privacy, the lack of control, the limit on what we can do (we can't even boldface text), and the inability to generate revenue and leave Facebook. Perhaps another company will provide a better solution or people will revert to their own websites. In any case, Black sites will have been (we currently are) they biggest losers--always dependent upon a corporate entity for our piece of the world wide web. If we continue to freely give Facebook/Amazon what we do online we will regret it (indeed many of us do now). Darliss, mentioned that she would not be able to update the page frequently enough. That concern is natural for when we post comment to Facebook, WE ARE WORKING FOR FACEBOOK, and we are not being paid for this service. But the psychology is such that if we do poorly, then we think it is OUR fault. Facebook is brilliant!

Sure Chris Black folks do all that stuff. The problem is that those stereotypes are typically the only depictions we see of Black people on TV and film. All of the points Craig made represent popular stereotypes. Stereotypes that have been shoved down our throats to such an extent that people, even Black ones, presume them to be true. I did not vote for Obama to a 2nd term. I like to ski and I can swim. I've bungee jumped and ski dived. I read books. I don't watch basketball, listen to rap music, or go to church very much. I have no problem flagging down a cab. I know I'm not the only one, but I rarely see myself on TV. Anyone who comes close is usually the brunt of a joke It is like watching a Tyler Perry movie. The first one is funny, but the rest are all the same. I've already seen Hustle and Flow, you know what I mean? After a certain point, seeing a Black face in a film no longer excites me. It would be nice to see a Black man like myself or my boys. Speaking about my college crew. Virtually all of my boys got married, to Black women, and have been married, much like myself, for 25 years or more. There were two who went the baby momma route (also with Black women), but those two Brothers were outliers, not the norm of my immediate crew and our broader peer group. Yeah being raised by a single mother with a father, sucks. There is so much I learned from my buddies in the street that was just wrong. I often hear women boast about how good they, and woman in general, are at raising men. That is complete bullshit, but hey, I give the credit for trying. Chris that is a funny story about getting in the car . My first car for a new '84 camaro. I used to hop in through the window, without opening the door, like those white boys on that TV show (The Dukes of Harzard I think). We did not have a car going up, so I mimicked what I saw on TV I guess. I used to drive, from time to time, with my seat reclined all the way back with the music blasting. I'm sure I got that from some movie to TV too.

Sorry I was talking about Dexter's Laboratory

This was posted on Youtube by Craig Nobles "I think this show reinforces the stereotypes....and is not good for my business of BRANDING URBAN INFLUENCE...FOX wins with the audience and gets to sell advertising,I lose because no one want this stereotype attached to there BRANDING....FOX DOES IT AGAIN.....GIVE A FEW PEOPLE A JOB AS THE CULTURE SUFFERS AS A WHOLE MOVEMENT......The executives at FOX NETWORK ran down the following check list before Premiering the New show "EMPIRE" ........ here's that check list... Black Men killing each other.... "check" Angry Black Woman going after a Black male "check" Educated, Successful Black Male with a White Woman "check" Display of Effeminized Black Males "check" Blacks committing crimes and going to prison "check" Two Bitter Black Women going after each other ....one being lightskin, the other brown skin.... "check" The Promotion of Ignorant ass Crack Baby Rap Music "check" Overweight Black Woman displaying her self hate by wearing a BLONDE WIG "check" THIS SHOW IS GONNA BE A HIT !!!!! BRILLIANT" I think Craig left out the Black man in a dress. I still have not seen the shows, but I'm not convinced working these shows or not working at all are the only options.

Yeah Dexter used to be my man! I have not watched him or any cartoons in years, not since my kids were little.

Chris I actually did not push these changes out the the sharing websites. I figured I'd keep these for the main site and least for now. Thanks again!

I added some additional enhancements to the Power List; You can view all the Power List titles by several dimensions including; by Parent Company, example: Bertelsmann and Pearson PLC: http://aalbc.it/bertelsmannplc By Publisher, example: Hachette Book Group: http://aalbc.it/hachettebg By Imprint, example: Alfred Knopf: http://aalbc.it/alfredknopf By Author, example: Roxane Gay: http://aalbc.it/roxanebooks This links gives the all-time top 10 fiction books on the Power List: http://powerlist.info/power-top-f.php This is a link to the top non-fiction titles: http://powerlist.info/power-top-nf.php

I was unfamiliar the show Power with Omari Hardwick and 50 Cent on Starz. It is interesting information about that show did not make it to me. I guess it is just another example of how compartmentalized the net has become with all the filters in place. Chris why do you believe that if Black actors are not making shows like Power and Empire, they won't get any work

Has anyone ever considered what all this negative/violent programming does to one's psyche? I can't image there is no adverse impact. I think about this as I watch HBO's programming from True Blood, The Wire, The Soporanos, Game of Thrones, Broadwalk Empire, etc all this evil can't be good for you; can it? When I was a kid the TV shows seemed to be much more wholesome and I enjoyed them. Even some of the programming that addressed culural issued did so intelligently and with all the gore, sex, obscenities, etc. I think shows like All in the Family, or even Star Trek did this quite well. I wonder if I watched more wholesome TV shows would I be happier? I'm not saying I'm deprrssed or anything, but would we, as a culture, be better off without all the violence and dysfucntion we see on TV all the damn time. Let me go watch It's a Wonderful Life and a few episodes of the Cosby Show and talk to you all in the morning.

I did not mean to imply that I don't watch anything on Fox because of it's political leanings. I don't watch anything on Fox because I don't really watch network TV. I watch HBO. where there is a series I'm currently watching. Since Boardwalk Empire ended the only thing I regularly catch is Bill Maher. I'll pick up Game of Thrones when it comes back, but other than that I surf YouTube. But I will try to catch up on Empire. I do like Terrance when he plays a grimey role and Taraji is just talented. I'm managing my expectations though. I don't expect anything of the caliber of HBO's The Wire, but right now I'm not watching anything.

I have to admit I have not seen Empire. I actually don't watch anything on Fox. Perhaps because I exposed to enough Black dysfunction in my actual life I'm not too interested in seeing it on the TV.

Harry you are quite timely. I just published our interview with Lee Daniels who is quite good at depicting Black dysfunction (Monsters Ball, Precious, etc), which is a very lucrative profession in America. As far as my NIggas Tee-Shirts. That train left the station, the cat out of the bag, and the chickens have some home to roost. How can any group of people you allow rap lyrics that use this word quite liberally, then all of a sudden get twisted when people want to put it on a tee shirt? Gimme a break. The Wayans are not doing anything new, but because they are celebrities they'll be able to capitalize off it--like all the other comedians and rappers who "stack mad paper" (do kids still say this) using the word. LIke a true capitalist the Damon Wayans was/is (2006 article) literally trying to trademark Nigga, for his clothing line. Fortunately the government stopped his dumb ass, sheesh. Please

From my perspective, and I'm not just talking about books, the concerns of Black folks have been marginalized, or relegated to a place where they are not a primary concern. For example, Obama is the president of "all the people" so he will never overtly do something specifically for Black people, the way Johnson, or Kennedy did. The fight for so called "diversity" also obscures are needs, because diversity does not really mean anything. Black people themselves are diverse. You can also be diverse with out Black people. The fight for diversity is a completely different fight as far as the interests of Black people are concerned. 15 years ago getting attention for this list, at least online, would not have required such a monumental effort.

Chris when writing my article on The Best Cities for African American Readers I collected data on the Black populations of the largest 300 American Cities. Memphis (the 20th largest city, with a Black population of 63%) isn't in the top 5. 83% of Detroit's population is Black and darn near 80% of Jackson Mississippi is Black. Baltimore and Birmingham have higher percent Black populations too. But I agree with your point. People tend to self-segregate. Historically this was the law, which was a bad idea. But in practice I see little difference from the time there was a law. Schools are still largely segregated. Rich people simply send their children to virtually all white private schools, live in all white communities and hire the highest paid folks for the best jobs. Black people are largely excluded from these schools, communities and jobs. For course, there are exceptions, but these people usually don't have the power to "hook another brotha up." Even if they were inclined to do so, they would not, because they would be afraid of losing their place. It is a real funky position to be in. We KNOW the best and the brightest don't always get into Harvard, we KNOW family connection and money is a factor which helps white folks tremendously. We live in a country when two of the strongest presidential candidates will come from families in which another family member served! I would never vote for Jeb Bush or Hillary Clinton, for this reason along. I hate political dynasties, monarchies or whatever you wanna call them. New York's Governor is the son of a previous governor. Of course there are countless examples, harsher enforcement and stiffer penalties when it comes to the application of the law. Don;t even get me started on the lack on Black influence on the web... What is also so astonishing to me is that the Black population is largely unaware of all of this. Which I guess is why so many Black people are advocates for diversity, we don't recognize how disenfranchised we truly are.

Thanks for sharing the Power List Chris. Now image if I could get some of the authors, who are actually on the list, to do the same. Bestsellers lists tend to be popular with readers. I plan to get other content providers to share the lust. I also plan to encourage authors and publishers to share the list in the manner in which you have. Ultimately, we have to begin to promote and uplift our own work. I believe we will begin to realize this soon enough, as we continue to loose platforms interested in promoting Black books.

OK let me see what I can come up with. Chris keep inmind, your side margins are not large enough to accommodate a 160 pixel wide skyscraper ad. Your template can accommodate 120 pixels max without creeping outside the boundary the way the Amazon banner is doing now.

Del what does "throw joint" mean? Chris, the reference to "blue khakis" is lost on me is that some southern jailhouse thing?

Yo Negro you know Brothers are tight. You can't hurl insults all willy-nilly. Actually, I was not accustomed to your change in voice, just your steadfast adherence to all things magical/mystical. You stray from that I get confused.

Interesting, I was going to email Del separately and ask him what was wrong. That is because the statement, "I dunno y'all sound like two chicken headed biznitches" is so out of character for him that I literally have trouble believing Del wrote that statement. Honestly I'm still not convinced Del wrote it.

Del that is like asking if you are tired of being yourself. Of course not. But that does not mean that I have not fantasized or contemplated what it might be like to be someone else. That also does not mean that I've never lamented the hardships that accrue to someone in my situation--but anyone can do that. Being human sucks. But being human and being Black can be quite enjoyable too. It is not an either/or proposition. Striving to make things better is actually one of those things that motives me. Often trying to make things better is discouraging, because it is difficult and failures are frequent. Hey Chris, I watched one of your lecture videos (are you actually lecturing a college class in shorts ). Man when you find the time to do so much (do you have kids?).

Cgris give the new power list layout a try. It is fully responsive and I've removed the Power List logo. Take a look at how it look on my site: http://aalbc.com/books/powerlist.html Huris search is pretty straight forward too. This is the same code I'm using on the Power List site: <script> (function() { var cx = '017439764859730021228:ale46ds4sbg'; var gcse = document.createElement('script'); gcse.type = 'text/javascript'; gcse.async = true; gcse.src = (document.location.protocol == 'https:' ? 'https:' : 'http:') + '//www.google.com/cse/cse.js?cx=' + cx; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(gcse, s); })(); </script> <gcse:search></gcse:search> We just need more folks doing what we do, working together, on-line, to make a difference (and some money).

Chris you mentioned Ava a number of times. Ever since I learned of Ava Duvernay I've promoted her work: from the very first film I Will follow. I do this not because it will make me any money, I do it because I think it is important. But I also recognize these films are not blockbusters. If you search for Ava DuVernay on Huria Search, you will get over 300K results from Black owned websites. So we are talking about her, the question is who is listening, or even until the Selma film, who cared? Ava will get just as much attention because she was "snubbed" by the Academy, than she would have received winning the award.