Larenz Tate, where ya been?

Sometimes we all have to take a break and get away from everyone and everything, especially if you're a celeb. Larenz Tate, similar to Morris Chestnutt, did just this. Many older heads like myself thought he decided just to chill, or was done.

That is, until the last few weeks.

Tate appeared in the summer's #1 comedy Girls Trip as the college friend/love interest, and have a cameo in Power recently. He is still the same actor, looks and talent wise. It's good to see more passionate actors of colors, but Tate should never be forgotten and should get more roles if we wants it.

He was definitely needed when cinema, especially black cinema, was down. Could it be he's back to capitalize on the success and appeal of black cinema? Maybe but can't blame him. He's a blast from the past that realizes there is a market for him now.

I'm obviously a fan, and I like the sexy women who have been his love interest (Nia Long, Vivica, Lela Rochon, Halle, etc, etc).Now can he leave Yvonne Orjii alone? Yeah Insecure's ratings would really sour, especially after Game Of Thrones is done. But c'mon Larenz, you can't have them all.

And finally, thank you for staying off of trash reality TV.

Curving season rolls on

Yes we've heard of cuffing season. But what about the season we know about, casually mention, but haven't put a name on it. Ladies and gentlemen, it's curving season!

This is typically when a woman is dressed nice in a sundress, shorts, a romper, or something to maximize her body type. She then walks around, casually avoiding, ignoring, basically curving guys.

Before anyone thinks this is negative, continue to read.

Often this happens in the summer to early fall months. During this time, even single ladies aren't trying to be bothered with a mate. They just want to enjoy themselves and freely show off their physique in peace. It's not necessarily teasing or thirst trapping.

So yes curving season is in full effect. Shoot I just got curved yesterday.

If you're interested in a female, by all means try to talk to her. Just don't take it personal if she gives you a cold response. She may not be ready just yet. Try again around September or October. That's when another season we know of comes around: cuffing season!

Revealing spoilers on social media needs to stop, period

It's like when you go on social media, so often people get so emotional about a certain issue or topic, they lose all of their home training. They become loud, ignorant, and flat out disrespectful.

Enter those that spoil TV shows.

I seriously thought when ABC announced that this upcoming season would be the final one for Scandal, I would get my Thursdays back, free from spoilers and folks posting every frikkin second. I would then be able to unhide some former "Gladiators" .

Enter Power, along with Firesticks and Kodi.

Power has become the show to watch, especially since nothing new is on Netflix and football hasn't resumed. The problem is people reveal spoilers as soon as the show is available on the Firestick/Kodi, which is typically midnight on Sunday EST. 

Now before, I was one of few that hated spoilers and thought they were disrespectful to anyone that hadn't had a chance to see the show. I worked Sundays for nearly a year, so I can see how this can particularly hit a nerve.

People have their priorities mixed up, period. They want you to be polite, not catcall at them or talk to them a certain way. Yet they see no problem with revealing spoilers. Now I can (and do) hide, delete and block folks that do this. I don't see why you can't just create groups and pages for these popular shows and stop spoiling them, please!

Social media has truly brought out the worst and pettiness in many folks. It's truly the Billy The Kid syndrome, they see no wrong. But let the shoe be on the other foot and it happen to them then.

Now to look for more spoil sports before I go to bed. Also, I don't even get on before I watch a show. Scandal-holics learned me here. It doesn't make it right though.

Jay, Kendrick, J Cole are keeping hip hop alive. Nas, you're on deck!

Jay-Z has had quite a revival in his music career since his new album 4:44, dropped just before the 4th of July holiday.

It is just as good as advertised and more. He has grown up more, and addresses many of the things he has faced as a husband and father, including his infidelity with wife Beyonce.

Kendrick Lamar and J Cole have also released albums recently and both are great. It gives hip hop fans hope that the genre isn't dead and giving way to trap music.

Nas has been talking about releasing another album for over a year now. He is needed now more than ever. Yes these great artists have good music for us. But if you're like me, you want to see God's son doing more than just Hennessy commercials. He can still rap, make great music, and his people want to hear him.

Summertime is awesome for great, fresh music. I'm so thankful that we have more of it back. Every song and anthem doesn't have to be for the club or released by Drake, Migos or Future.

All Eyez On Me Was Actually Good

It's like I said last week, people try to find every reason to tear apart each other,  even in death. They will see a biopic and start tearing it apart, like how comic book fans do a Marvel or DC movie.

All Eyez On Me did get bad reviews and I could see why. However, it was still a good movie, with great acting and even better music. Demetrius Shipp Jr. could seriously be the next great actor, especially since he resembles Pac so much. 16 years ago I predicted this about Tyrese and Tarajii and now look. He did his thing and we should all admire that.

Now for those that are clueless to biopics, I don't recall it saying "based or inspired by a true story." Not having this tagline gives directors a lot more creative freedom. They did consult his sister and Snoop Dogg so many of the stories were dead on. The rest were clearly exaggerated or omitted. Nevertheless, it didn't take away from the movie, only Tupac's story.

This has been a good summer season at the movies. You can steam All Eyez On Me on the Firestick if you like, but I feel it's worth a matinee showing at worst.

Either way, I feel it's a must see. Form your own opinion about the "story" of the hip hop/pop culture icon and then criticize. There have been a lot of Tupac produced movies and appearances. They got the actor right, even if the story was flawed.

Tupac will still live on, just like Elvis Pressley. And is it a coincidence that this movie released a couple of months before Elvis passed 40 years ago? Probably but hey another angle of the story had to be told. There will be more, and possibly better ones

Kevin Durant and Tupac: A Common Thread

You're reading the title wondering what can an All Star NBA player have in common with one of the best hip hop artists ever? Well for starters, they have both been heavy in the news and on social media lately, for ridiculous reasons.

Around a year ago, the Golden State Warriors already had a super team, built mostly through the draft. Durant, after having individual success as a player with the Oklahoma City Thunder and almost beating the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals, decided to make a major change. He wanted a ring and he knew GS would be the best place to get it. They cleared a lot of roster and cap space to get a player they could use on their redemption tour. All season, former OKC teammate Russell Westbrook had negative remarks, even had cupcake shirts made, calling KD soft. Well Durant and the Warriors did as expected, dominated the 2017 NBA playoffs, losing only one game enroute to their fifth championship. After the game, many folks, even LeBron James, had their thoughts. And I have mine also.

This man did what was best for his career. Things didn't seem to be improving in OKC so he did something about it. He didn't wanna have an incomplete legacy, and got his championship. This has not only been happening in pro sports for decades now, this is also a norm in the business world. If there is a better opportunity, even with a rival, you normally take it. I believe KD's star power, along with the fact the NBA is currently a two team league, is what has folks in an uproar.

Speaking of stars and uproars, the late Tupac Shakur still has the hip hop world in a frenzy, nearly 21 years after his murder. His biopic, All Eyez On Me, has mixed reviews, especially from Jada Pinkett Smith. It seems many don't want to let that man be great. He is seriously a top 2 rapper, no lower than 5 in many hip hop circles. Still, many want to find flaws with him and the movie. Now this isn't the only Pac movie that has surfaced and the story is well known. It gives his fans and hip hop fans a sense of nostalgia and a reminder of when rap began evolving.

Let's spend this summer and year doing less bashing and more encouraging. Especially for black folks, it's time to stand together and stop being divided over trivial issues. These are celebs, we need to take pages from their books and improve our own lives.

Black Privilege is Right On Time

Radio and TV personality Charlamagne Da God has really climbed up the ranks in the radio world. He outlines his success in his newest book "Black Privilege".

He speaks of his humble beginnings: growing up in Moncks Corner, SC, interning for Wendy Williams for two years, and then grinding with other studios and shows before landing onto "The Breakfast Club." Charlamagne is definitely not an overnight success.

He delves into serious subjects and techniques he used in his journey. He even references his hustling days, talking about one must put in the proper work or "learn to put the weed in the bag." Charlamagne never bites his tongue on the air, and he is in the same in his book. He even talks about being your true self and having realistic goals. He says "F#$k your dreams." and is not shy about telling others this if he feels they are on the wrong path or journey.

Charlamagne is real, raw, and inspiring. This book is so good, you will want to read it twice, and possibly have a highlighter handy. You will be very motivated after reading this.

It costs around  $18 for a paperback and is available on Amazon and at most bookstores. Do yourself a favor and get this book. You're sure to enjoy Charlamagne's lessons and life experiences.