What Happens To A Dream Deferred

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

- Langston Hughes



Chance. It's an alluring thing, a completely magnificent concept. As humans it is our nature to strive towards security. Our whole life we work towards making sure we are successful enough so that we can provide a secure and stable environment for ourselves and for the people we care for the most. But when is it alright to take a chance? When do you know that an amazing opportunity is standing right in front of you and all you have to do is take that chance and reach for it? This can be applied to all things, for example career and love. For instance how many people are actually doing what they dream about doing? I know we got to pay those bills and often times our true passions are not going to provide for us or our families. But what would you do if you had an opportunity to give your life's passion a chance? Would you just step away from it without another look because you just don't know what will happen with that? Here's another scenario: What if you have been with someone that you truly care about for a long time? Everything is basically good. They are the safe choice; the one that just makes the most sense. But what happens when you meet someone new? It was totally by chance…or maybe they are a good friend and you just have that connection with them? You feel like they may possibly be your soul mate (if you believe in that). You know they would take the chance in a hot minute to see if you guys would work. Would you walk away from the choice that makes the most sense? Would you chance what you have for the opportunity to possibly have something amazing with this other person?

I know that some of it just comes down to a person's outlook on life. Some people are way bigger risk takers and others are more cautious. Perhaps it all depends on what you have to risk. If you feel that you are risking more by taking a journey into the unknown you will probably be less apt gamble. The thing is sometimes taking that chance ends up working out for the best.

In my opinion, life is a big chance. It's the biggest gamble of them all. There is no way to plan for everything that may happen to us on this journey. I just say we can only make the decisions that we feel are the best for ourselves and our loved ones. No matter what they are, hopefully there will be no regrets. When you look back on life, be content with the decisions you made. The worst thing to feel is resentment or to live life continuously wondering what if.

Chikamnario Ugbaj

HOW I DISCOVER NEW MUSIC

Growing up, I was an MTV fan; I knew the entire video rotation from the early morning hours when I would watch as I got ready for school to the late afternoon sets that I would rush home to see -as if the videos had varied any. The point is, between my family's vast musical taste and my intense love for the original MTV, the music I enjoy is diverse and people may call me weird for liking what I like, but I see the beauty in all music regardless of whose name is attached to it.

I'm on an underground/unknown artist kick and have been for a while, so when I'm looking for new music, I usually go to the few who share my eclectic taste: my brother and my two music buddies. I like to take a look at the artist's entire music history if it's accessible, so I do a Google/YouTube search then iTunes comes into play if I like what I hear.

With Twitter being as influential and dynamic as it is, it has helped me to discover even more music from the artists themselves, other blogs, and fans all at once. I love how I can just throw out there a song lyric or title, and in minutes I'll have people getting back to me with details and links regarding this music.

I don't trust everyone's advice, though; I get exposed to ignorance that way, and I don't do ignorant music. It goes the other way, as well. If someone is adamantly against a song or an artist, I'll at least check it out myself because not everyone may GET that type of music, so I like to decide for myself.
Finding music and discovering new artists is fun for me; I'd say a great combination of following people with impeccable music taste on Twitter, access to primarily music channels (MTVU, MTV JAMS, VH1 Soul, Centric, etc), and frequent visits to music blogs will put your music library in a serene and exciting place. The major thing is that you can't be afraid to try new things. You'll miss out on some great music trying to keep up with the mainstream Joneses.

Stephanie Walls

K MICHELLE "FALLIN" VIDEO LOOKS TO BE A HOT ONE WITH NFL STAR KERRY RHODES

The First Creative Talk

Sometimes you have to get reminded why you do this. Is it the first time your artist hit the big stage? Or maybe the look in their eyes on the set of their first video shoot? I know it's the first artist/manager creative conversation. Stay Tuned.....

DEFINING MOMENTS

The other day I was thinking about what makes a defining moment in ones life. I have seen it defined as when you face a stark choice, and the choice that you make defines what your life will be. It can also be defined as a point at which the essential nature or character of a person, group, etc., is revealed or identified.

I want to reflect back on the date of June 29th 2009. It was the 2009 BET Awards Trey Songz, Bobby Fisher (Trey's Road Manager),Troy Taylor (Songbook CEO), Mike Kyser (Atlantic Sr. VP), Julie Greenwald (Atlantic Records Co-Chairman), Sydney Margetson (VP of Publicity), High Hat (Professional Choreographer) & myself where in a small room somewhere hidden in the Shrine Auditorium. We where waiting on Tyrese and Johnnie Gill to arrive to start an early rehearsal before participating in the stage walk-thru for their O’Jays tribute. There was a feeling in the air that we where at a crucial cross roads. Trey was about to embark on his most important album in his young career. The single "Need A Girl" was out and doing well at the time but still lacked that urgency we wanted to feel in the streets.

On top of this the greatest entertainer that had ever lived, Michael Jackson, had passed 5 days before. BET staff members where running around making adjustments to honor Michael Jackson's Life. This put extra pressure on Trey, Tyrese, and Johnnie because they had to absolutely nail the O’Jays tribute in order for the O’Jays’ moment not to be completely over shadowed by MJ's passing. I remember Tyrese and Trey being a little nervous because they where not known for dancing at all. Trey starting going through the moves with the choreographer before Tyrese arrived from doing press. Tyrese arrived and jumped right in line. "Again" I heard that word at least 20-30 times. At one point I was in a chair by myself praying. I was asking God to protect Trey and let him kill this performance. I knew this would be a highly viewed show, especially with MJ's passing, which would equal the biggest look we ever had for Trey. See, the way I figured it was like this. You would have at least three generations of women looking at this show. It would be the grandmother who grew up with the O Jay's, the mom who remembered listening to the O’Jays because of her mom and the daughter who liked Trey or Chris Brown. This would make the world at least have to see Trey once before his album came out. It would make his current fans stick their chest out and make non-believers start to finally see who he is.

Johnnie entered the room shortly after my prayer and thoughts and they got in sync. We all marched to the stage and they had a decent walk-thru. They came back and went over it a few more times. Showtime! Everybody except Trey was a little nervous. Trey never really shows when he is nervous, he was definitely born to be on stage. I remember the guys going over the moves a few more times back stage. It kind of looked like what I imagined the old Motown days looking like. A group in one corner twisting, turning, singing and counting steps. I walked over to Trey and said "Good Luck. This is your time and all lanes are open". I went to take my seat next to Bobby Fisher and watched as the world got a chance to see what we all fought, slaved and believed in for five plus years, the talent of Mr. Trey Songz.

Delante "Butta" Murphy

Is Jay Electronica the right direction for Hip Hop? You be the judge we give you -Exhibit C

K MICHELLE FINISHES KELLZ ECHO REMIX PEEK SOME OF KELLZ RECORDING TECHNIQUES AND LESSONS

Making Of: Echo Remix Pt. 3

R. Kelly | MySpace Music Videos

SO YOU THINK YOUR A BALLER? HOW ABOUT A $3,599.99 BOTTLE OF HENNESSY

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Does K Michelle Nail Her Verse on Remix? & Did R Kelly get his Duck Sauce?

Making Of: Echo Remix Pt. 2

R. Kelly | MySpace Music Videos

K MICHELLE IN R KELLY'S STUDIO RECORDING "ECHO" REMIX NEVER SEEN BEFORE R KELLY PROCESS

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Making Of: Echo Remix Pt. 1

R. Kelly | MySpace Music Videos

K MICHELLE SPEAKS TO VIBE.COM IS SHE BAD OR MISUNDERSTOOD

DRAKE FIRST SINGLE RELEASED EARLY "OVER" !!!!!!!

K MICHELLE SINGS "WHERE THEY DO THAT AT" IS SHE THE NEXT MARY J

DRAKE FIRST SINGLE RELEASE TONIGHT AT MIDNIGHT

Drake releases his first single "Over" from his debut album entitled "Thank Me Later" tonight at 12:00 midnight. The track was produced by Drake's longtime friend BOI-1DA. Get your ipods ready!

ALL WHITE EVERYTHING

JAY-Z BOOKS THAT MADE A DIFFERENCE

The rapper and mogul reveals the two books he “absolutely” lives his life by, how a purple cow validated his marketing strategy, and why a certain Greek tragedy feels like a dream.

The Seat of the Soul
By Gary Zukav

There are two books that I absolutely live my life by. This is one of them. Growing up, I was always curious about religion. This book made the most sense to me; it’s about the way you live your life. I believe in karma and doing the right thing even if it may not advance you as far as you want. If every single person felt the same way about karma and intention, then the world gets fixed tomorrow. But temptation gets in the way. Zukav is right: It may take lifetimes to learn.

The Celestine Prophecy
By James Redfield

This is the other book I live by. It’s fiction—a guy travels to find a secret book that has a series of principles. The story is a metaphor for life: I could go left or right, I could be stuck, or I could keep advancing. Some people are happy where they are. I tried to hire a guy once, and I said, “Don’t you have ambition to be bigger?” And he said, “No, I’m good.” I had to respect that, but for me that was the wrong relationship.

TIGER TEXT APP IS HERE

Want to cheat on your spouse, but not end up like Tiger Woods?

There's an app for that.

A new iPhone application called Tiger Text eliminates the possibility of damaging evidence being left behind by erasing text messages from recipients' phones.

"People text like they talk," the app's creator, Jeffery Evans, told Time. "And some of the things they say, taken out of context, can come back to haunt them."

A sender using the Tiger Text application can set how long they want the message to stay on a recipient's phone before it is deleted for good.

Users can also choose a "delete on read" setting, giving people a set time to look at the text before the message self-destructs, "Mission: Impossible" style.

Evans claims the app's name was chosen before Woods was outed as a philanderer late last year.

OCHO CINCO WORK OF ART

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