On dating, and “how to be a star”
In the latest issue ot Time Magazine, rap super star Usher is offering dating tips (when did Time become Rolling Stone?)
“Women love compliments, you know what I mean? Buy her a drink,” he said. “Talk to her about whatever it is that she wants to talk about. “
Advice straight from “RapStar 101: Introduction to Pimpology” — get her drunk on Henessey and Coke, tell her whatever it takes to get her into your Limo, listen to her ramble on…until…you get her in your music video where you can debase and denigrate her by making her shake her ass in a camera, call her ‘ho and a bitch. Yeah, we get it, Usher — we’ve seen the videos.
I’m not surprised that Usher is offering urban dating advice to Time readers, but then I read the caption below Usher’s picture in the article:
Camp New Look on the Clark Atlanta University campus in Atlanta, Tuesday, July 12, 2005. For two weeks, the campers, aged 8 to 18, will hole away at Clark Atlanta, honing their talents at Usher’s expense. Divided into groups by their talents _ either basketball, singing or dance _ the kids will break out and learn from star athletes.
Yeah, it’s wonderful that Usher is giving back and reaching out to kids via youth camps…and he should be commended for that. I just hate that the kids are being “divided into groups by their talents _ either basketball, singing or dance”. What about the kids who are talented in math, science, debate, or writing? Is there no room for them at Usher’s Camp New Look?
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UPDATE: Ok, I wrote the above information before doing a little more research on Camp New Look. This is from the Camp New Look web site:
It’s no secret that the goals and aspirations of today’s youth are shaped and molded by their day-to-day experiences. Many at-risk adolescents long for successful careers in music and sports as channels for making it to the top.
The dream shouldn’t begin and end with performing on stage or on a basketball court.
Music is a $20.5 billion industry…the sports industry’s tally is considerably more. Yet, despite the growing job market for legal, music, technical, and communication professionals in both the sports and entertainment industries, ethnic and gender disparities remain increasingly vast in management positions. More and more colleges and universities have developed curricula to prepare students to meet the demand for qualified professionals throughout the entertainment industry. Unfortunately, continuously high dropout rates prevent many minority youngsters from ever realizing even a portion of their dreams. Usher’s New Look is poised to bridge the gap by utilizing education and real world experiences as vehicles to expose young people to valuable life skills, career development and social responsibility opportunities.
This approach actually sounds promising, and I do commend Usher for taking an innovative approach to helping kids. When dividing kids into these groups, it should be by their interest in a particular area, rather than by their talents. You don’t have to be very good at dribbling the ball to become a sports agent. You don’t have to be a good singer to become a sound engineer. And you don’t have to be able to shake your rump in a rap video to work on the production staff of the next Broadway smash musical.
Oh, and if you’re going to be advising these kids on dating…just tell the boys to treat women with respect, dignity, and kindness…not to try and impress them with drinks, bling, and a role in your next music video.
Maybe you need to do a little more research. Usher is not a Rapper. He is a Hip Hop/R&B singer.
Left by 5 on November 21st, 2005 at 2:59 pm