What are your comments on my girl Keyshia Cole's new song & Video?

[Necole Clout]

This woman has been criticized by her "ghetto" actions, but when someone is talented, it overshadows a lot of negativity. She can Sang!!!!! Tell me what you think.

[Trevor]

Keyshia is very talented! :) And thankfuly she's original, I don't like copy cats, and her voice is original, I love it! :)

[Necole Clout]

Just the answer I was waiting to hear!!!lol
I hope you were ready to fight if you said something about her not being as talented as Mariah Carey...(you know that's your girl!!!)!!!! Just playing, I am so glad people can recognize great talent.

[The Blue Method]

great?

[The Blue Method]

Really?

[D.Q.]

I like it. I'm a fan of Keyshia Cole's music. I never watched her show. I'm not a fan of television that exploits us even at our own discretion.

[Necole Clout]

I like it too. She looks so beautiful. I like her realness. As far as her show, it's her reality and if she wants to heal that way, then it's her business. We all have a price to pay some type of way. And she probably wouldn't have become the woman that she is now, if it had not been for the show.

[D.Q.]

You're definitely right it's her life/reality but she sold it to the network for public consumption. When you allow the exploitation of your life for profit, you give up the right to complain about people having an opinion that you might not like.

[Necole Clout]

I've never heard her complain....and even though she sold it to the network, she has helped heal so many other broken families through revealing her life, hurts, and drama. Sometimes, you have to set aside who you are to help others. So many people can relate to her and her family issues. We were placed on this earth TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE and through her songs and her reality, she is fulfilling her ultimate purpose.

If your point was valid about exploitation then all musicans exploit themselves for profit. If you're singer or rapper, then you should just be satified singing in the church chior or being a ghost writer to an artist. You shouldn't get paid to be talented and emotionally connect with others. It should be a hobby. Because once you become an artist, you are exploiting your life. You give up your right to be a normal, tax-paying citizen.

Now if she was doing a dating reality show, or new BFF show; something ignorant like that, then we could agree. But I must disagree with you Mr. D.Q.

[D.Q.]

If your point was valid about exploitation then all musicans exploit themselves for profit.

It depends on the connotation of the word "exploit". It's true that artist's work needs to be exploited in order for them to make a living. That doesn't of necessity mean that their work represents any glamorization or profit from someone's pain. I'm speaking of exploitation in the sense of the negative stereotypes being presented as entertainment.

You shouldn't get paid to be talented and emotionally connect with others. It should be a hobby. Because once you become an artist, you are exploiting your life. You give up your right to be a normal, tax-paying citizen.

I never alluded to the idea that she should not be paid. She's talented. I never took issue with her singing ability. I have her on my ipod now. Reality TV is about making money not healing the lives of broken people. Do you actually think VH1, Bet, or MTV gives a damn about the representation of our people? She was a pawn in the game to bring in big money to the network which I'm sure she did. It negatively reflects us as a people not just her. That's my concern and I'm sure others as well which is why she received criticism. That's a totally separate issue from her singing. ;)
Now if she was doing a dating reality show, or new BFF show; something ignorant like that, then we could agree. But I must disagree with you Mr. D.Q.

[Thedy B]

why do we as blacks try to cover up our mess? I mean really? On the one hand, it's like we don't want to give into the racial stereotypes of blacks so it's like don't show an inarticulate black person on TV, don't show a blk woman with a bad wig, don't show Pookie and Ray Ray, or Aintie Rose going upside Jesse's head. Show the Huxtables, Prince of Bel Air, etc... Okay, I get it: there are two sides to every story... and the Pookie/Ray Ray nem thing ain't the whole story...and that's what's portrayed more often in the media... okay I get that... yes media, stop that...

Yet on the other hand, when we as blacks act like, don't let the white folk see our mess, then aren't we still saying hey white folk, we want you to like us and value us... see, see we aren't bad ppl...like we need permission! Like we are inferior ...like we have to apologize for having issues.

Besides, this is not June Clever's era. Like Necole said, ppl have real problems... people, not blacks, white, reds, browns, people... Now I don't watch a lot of TV: too busy getting mine... doing my thing... but I get why reality (which at time is pure scripted TV) is so popular...

Her fans are connecting with her more than ever now... like I said in another forum, fans want an experience with the artist... it's no longer about dropping an album and that's it... don't get mad at the companies (not saying anybody on here is) if the companies recognize that simple truth: fans want an experience with the artist....reality TV then just makes sense...Youtube with stupid videos of the artist doing nothing makes sense... Twitter asking ppl what are you doing now makes sense....cell phone companies allowing artists to call their fans and vice versa makes sense...

I agree with you though, these stations aren't thinking about healing ppl. It is about entertainment for the most part and giving the fans what they want...

[D.Q.]

I think the problem for us is that we are primarily represented one way and it's usuallly a stereotype. Will Smith was basically a buffoon on the Fresh Prince of Bel Air (I was a fan of the show like everyone else let me say). THe typical portrayal of black men is either violent, street savvy, or some type of court jester that's not to be taken seriously.
I remember several years ago counting all of the black television shows in the tv guide. I think all but one were situation comedies. The portrayal of blacks is very limited. We can't afford to have "Aintie Rose" ( I actually have an Aunt Rose too) and Ray Ray represent us. We don't have the liberty that whites do where they're represented across a very broad spectrum. It's not that we want their acceptance; we want an accurate portrayal of our people and not just one segment of us.

[Necole Clout]

Her show could be seen as negative to some people and positive to others. She may have wanted to make some money along the way, but also on that journey, she discovered some deep psychological family issues that needed to be addressed. And even though it was at the tune of the entire world watching, she was able to heal her past hurts and others at the same time. So many people talk about how that show helped them in some type way. For the regular average Joe to see a celebrities life raw and uncut, it demonstrates the realness of who and what Keyshia Cole is all about. Not just the fact that the girl can sang and she makes great music! Fans always want more...And that show broadened her fan base as well as exposed who she really was.

When CNN did that special about being Black in America, I feel like that was an exploitation about blacks except it was in documentary form. CNN sure doesn't give a damn about blacks because I was under the impression that the show was going to be something totally different then what it was.
We are the minority and everything we do is always emphasized and focused upon, especially the negative. No matter what type of good could come out of it. I have never judged any race based on thier culture or stereotype. And there are a lot of stereotypes that I can get into about whites. But I choose not to focus my energy on that.

Some of the things that is said about African Americans may be true but it's 's not right and it's not fair that we as blacks have been struggling & defending who we are our entire lives. And most of the time we have to defend our decisions to people within our culture. It's ashame that people can't just be happy for a sista who paid a price to expose her life in it's entirety. Instead we call her a sell out for money...I don't get it....