So I was browsing missxpose.com and saw that there were several videos involving this discussion. Instead of watching the videos, I thought I would create a poll to find out what my readers thought…PLEASE VOTE!

crookfromthebrook.wordpress.com

So I was browsing bossip.com when I saw this post about an interview that Sandra “Pepa” Denton did with VIBE. I decided to check it out. Before I go into my views, here’s a copy of the article straight from vibe.com: 

Just about every hip-hop head, old and recent, has an opinion on a certain heavy-banged, animated female rapper. Next to share their thoughts on the ever-present Nicki Minaj? One half of the best-selling female rap act, Sandra “Pepa” Denton.  

Pepa, who debuted her first Salt-n-Pepa album Hot, Cool & Vicious in 1985, shared with VIBE her feelings on the new, 25-year-old, pink-adoring rapper. “She reminds me of [Lil’ Kim]. Bold and you know… she’s young. And a lot of people are like ‘Oh what do you feel about her because of the message?’, but to me she hasn’t learned the message yet,” she says. 

“[Salt-n-Pepa are] old in the game, we started out a little raw, so after a little while I’ve learned and changed because my audience changed. Kids started coming to my concert and I realized that I had sense of responsibility. I was cursing in my shows, and then I started seeing little kids and was like, ‘Oh what are they doing here?’ And after a while I had to stop, I didn’t feel right.” 

Minaj expressed to BET recently during a 2010 Spring Bling special that though her shows are unconventional, uncensored, and filled with signatured boobs, she’s attempting to find a balance between the older audience she targets and her over-loyal younger fans.  

honeymag.com

Pepa says finding that audience balance is especially tough with a male-dominated team, like Nicki’s Young Money crew. 

“Not everyone’s role model material, but we do have a sense of responsibility because kids listen more to us than they would their parents. But [Nicki’s] young, so how’s she gonna enlighten?’ She’s new, she’s excited and what happens when you have a male camp backing you? Yeah, you might be singing those kinds of lyrics,” she says with a laugh. “That’s what happens when you have a male camp dictating how you should be.”   

Pep hinted at starring in a new reality show in search of the new Salt-n-Pepa, to which she wouldn’t mind if Minaj played her younger self. 

“I’m not mad at Nicki. I think she’s talented. I love her style. She has a lot of attitude, she has a lot of things she wants to express so I wouldn’t be mad at that. I was there at that age, so I don’t expect her to be like ‘Oh let me start being this way.’ This is what she’s feelin’.” 

Salt-n-Pepa are currently in the studio working on new material. —Tracy Garraud 

Okay, so I understand where Nicki is coming from with her dilemma. You see these kids in the audience, but then again you see the 30 year old right next to them rapping every lyric as well. At the end of the day, you can’t please everybody. For the 12 year olds, it is up to the parents to be educated on the artist and the content of the music before they let their child (and YES i said CHILD) go to a Nicki Minaj concert. If the parents are cool with their child being in that type of environment then so be it. Should Nicki censor herself? Well, she can and even if she does, I don’t think its going to take away from her show. I  mean, come on, the video is censored, RIGHT? Also, as far as her signing boobs, if you are a Nicki Minaj fan then you should know that she signs boobs. I am ride or die Nicki Minaj, but best believe that I will probably not ask her to sign my boobs, LOL. I think parents should know that this goes on before they let their CHILD go to the show and if its that big of an issue then the PARENT should go with them. 

BTW, at what point in Pepa’s career did she start censoring herself? I clearly remember her on that VH1 show doing a lap dance on a man during a rehearsal AND putting a nude portrait of herself up in a window at Salt’s house. Correct me if I’m wrong, PLEASE.

the transcript of the video is straight from concreteloop.com:

On Motherhood:
It has definitely calmed me down, I had a bad temper in the past and I don’t as much anymore. My son definitely puts stuff into perspective. A lot of things that I thought were really important aren’t. I don’t look at the surface as much anymore. A lot of things I was doing before was really selfish and now it’s not about me, it’s about him. Being a mother (to me) comes very natural. I think God definitely blessed me.

On Lil Wayne:
He is a great dad, he is a great father. No complaints.

On twitter, the internet & blogs:
I don’t feel the pressure to tweet and share my business because I feel like my personal life is my peronal life. I do know in this day and age that I can be at a club and someone can take a picture and it’ll be out the next day that I’m dating so and so. They talked about me so bad during my pregnancy, at this point what else can they say?

On the negative comments concerning her pregnancy:
I’m not going to lie, it hurt. Because when a woman is pregnant (to me) is when she is her most beautiful and as pure as she can be and there was a lot of people that said something negative about what I was doing. And at some point it did hurt my feelings and I had to let it go, because it was not going to distract me from what God had me doing. Point blank period, I love my baby.

okay so first the AJ Jewell news and then we’re hit with this update in regards to Biggie? SMH. according to the LA Times, a wrongful death lawsuit that was filed by the family of Biggie Smalls against the city of LA was dismissed by federal judge, Jacqueline H. Nguyen).

chicotown.com

i always say, give people their flowers when you can. if rapper Guru hadn’t of passed, i am not quite sure if he would have made it as celeb of the day on the MT. of course, I am well aware of his contributions to hip-hop with Gangstarr (the group he was in with DJ Premier), but I will be honest and say that I never listened to one of their records neither can I name one. however, i do know that Guru made a large impact on hip-hop, which is why I chose him as today’s celeb of the day. 

also, here is Guru’s final letter to the fans that was submitted to the public through a press agency. this copy of the letter is from allhiphop.com: 

I, Guru, am writing this letter to my fans, friends and loved ones around the world. I have had a long battle with cancer and have succumbed to the disease. I have suffered with this illness for over a year. I have exhausted all medical options.

I do not wish my ex-DJ to have anything to do with my name likeness, events tributes etc. connected in anyway to my situation including any use of my name or circumstance for any reason and I have instructed my lawyers to enforce this. I had nothing to do with him in life for over 7 years and want nothing to do with him in death. Solar has my life story and is well informed on my family situation, as well as the real reason for separating from my ex-DJ. As the sole founder of GangStarr, I am very proud of what GangStarr has meant to the music world and fans. I equally am proud of my Jazzmatazz series and as the father of Hip-Hop/Jazz. I am most proud of my leadership and pioneering efforts on Jazzmatazz 4 for reinvigorating the Hip-Hop/Jazz genre in a time when music quality has reached an all time low. Solar and I have toured in places that I have never been before with GangStarr or Jazzmatatazz and we gained a reputation for being the best on the planet at Hip-Hop/Jazz, as well as the biggest and most influential Hip-Hop/Jazz record with Jazzmatazz 4 of the decade to now. The work I have done with Solar represents a legacy far beyond its time. And we as a team were not afraid to push the envelope. To me this is what true artists do! As men of honor we stood tall in the face of small mindedness, greed, and ignorance. As we fought for music and integrity at the cost of not earning millions and for this I will always be happy and proud, and would like to thank the million fans who have seen us perform over the years from all over the world. The work I have done with Solar represents a legacy far beyond its time and is my most creative and experimental to date. I hope that our music will receive the attention it deserves as it is some of the best work I have done and represents some of the best years of my life.

Lupe Fiasco and BOB will be at the Halton Arena at UNC Charlotte on Friday, April 23rd. Tickets are $40 for the general public and $25 for students with a UNC Charlotte ID.

so i am pissed as all get out that i just learned this weekend that Trey Songz, Monica and Melanie Fiona were coming to CLT. i guess, i’m late because i don’t listen to the radio (i usually pop in a mix CD)…well, here we go with the info.

Say Ahh Tour: Trey Songz, Monica and Melanie Fiona with host, BET comedian, TJ Hearns

Sunday, April 25th @ 7:30pm @ the Bojangles Coliseum