Chris Brown released his latest CD "Graffiti" on Dec. 8
Everyone seems to have opinions on whether Chris Brown was justified in the fight with Rihanna. Diehard fans swear up and down that Rihanna did something wrong and she deserved it. I think that statement is ridiculous. I don't care what a woman verbally says. Rihanna never deserved the butt whooping handed to her in February 2009. But I can't go so far as to say nobody deserves to be dealt with because it's not like I've never been in a fight. I can't even say I've never been in a fight with a guy because I have--once. It didn't last long though, but I can see how anger gets the best of a person and I didn't start that fight. (I didn't lose the fight either, by the way, but fighting is nothing to brag about. However, I never spoke to that guy again for the rest of my life.) I hear the accusations that Rihanna hit Chris Brown first, but we all know her strength does not compare to his. And then what if Rihanna didn't hit him at all, and Chris Brown just beat the living daylights out of her for the reasons in the police report?
I even thought about the accusations that if a man hits you once, he will hit you again. But I was frustrated by that belief because I know of two marriages with one partner who hit the other and then it never happened again, even years later. But to be fair, I have heard and known other couples who had one partner who was consistently abusive. Which category would Chris Brown fall in? Could he beat the odds?
There is no R&B artist that I like more than Marvin Pentz Gaye Jr. His music was just as relevant when he started out in the late '50s as it is now, and one of my favorite songs of his is "Inner City Blues (Makes Me Want to Holler)." The issues that Marvin Gaye talked about in that song are just as on point in 2009 as they were when the song first came out in the early 1970s--inflation, the struggle with paying bills, increasing crime, war overseas and taxes. Sound familiar?
Born on April 2, 1939 in Washington D.C., Marvin Gay aka Marvin Gaye (who later added the "e" to "Gaye" when he signed up with Motown) started off traveling with his father at the age of five, singing in church conventions and took off singing all kinds of music from 1957 with the Marquees until he went solo.
I don't think there's a singer who has put out the same amount of sexy, smooth and political tracks that he's put out with equal success. Marvin Gaye was still seen as an intelligent sex symbol (and grew even more handsome with age), and that really made me dig his music, especially with political songs like "What's Going On?" and "Inner City Blues (Makes Me Want to Holler)" played right before I blasted "Ego Trippin'," "Sexual Healing" and "Let's Get It On."
But who says Marvin Gaye has to be the only artist who can perfect R&B sexy grooves and politics too? (Fairly) new artist Raheem DeVaughn, who is also a native of Washington D.C., sure did do quite a job with his latest single, "Bulletproof."
Robin Thicke at Chicago's Rednofive
Robin Thicke fans, are you ready to meet him? Mr. "Complicated" and "Lost Without You" R&B artist extraordinaire will be visiting Macy's in Chicago, IL on Oct. 28.
If you're one of the first 150 customers to purchase Hugo Boss Element men's fragrance for $65 at Macy's (starting from store opening), you'll get the chance to meet Robin Thicke and get an autographed copy of his new single, "Sex Therapy" from his upcoming album, also called "Sex Therapy." He'll also be performing a couple of songs if time permits.
Location Information:
Wednesday, October 28, 12pm
Macy's State Street - Fragrance Arcade
111 North State Street
Chicago, IL 60602
