iCandiLand Summer 2012

Summer 2012 What Happened to Hip Hop?

Indie Artists Spotlight iTunes Must Haves For The Summer

Bring Back Customer Service Blues Now That’s A BAD B*TCH Music from The 90s

The 90s!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU June Birthdays June 2 Simone Shaw June2 Emily Boyles June 2 Chris Ward June 19 Nicole Bailey June 21 Fredrico Smith June 23 LeTecia Cunningham June 28 Rozay Pruitt

July Birthdays July 2 Shamekko Early July 8 Denise Allen July 10 Jaysen Long July 10 Julilia Edwards July 13 Troy McManiel July 14 Sidney Williams July 19 Lea Marie July 22 Kathryn Thompson July 22 LeVore Grant July 24 CJay Dinero

August Birthdays August 7 Michelle Russell August 9 Brian Keith August 18 Daniel E. King August 19 Amir Chapman August 19 Carmen Payne Johnson August 20 MsiCandi August 22 Ray Love August 26 Masheeakh Settles August 31 Brandi Stephens

Table of Contents Dear iCandi........................................... page 4-5 Bucks with Bux.......................................... page 6 Customer Service Blues........................... page 8-9 J. Antoinne Music Reviews.................... page 10-11 Survive Through the Meantime.............. page 14-15 Fashion & Beauty................................ page 16-17 iCandi Fab & Hot Mess of the Summer.......... page 18 Independence Day................................... page 19 The Music of the 90s........................... page 20-21 What Would You Do............................. page 22-23 Now That’s A Bad Bitch........................ page 24-25 What Happened to Hip-Hop........................ page 26 WE Brought Back the 90s.......................... page 27 Snack of the Month................................. page 29 Summer Summer Summertime!!

That’s right IT’S HOT Y'ALL! Breakups, Flings, Summer Romances, Summer Weddings, Parties, Family Vacations, EVERYTHING goes down during the summer. Hopefully you find some time in your busy schedule to throw some Candi in your life. We have a few tasty reads to entertain and help you get through this HOT summer!

Enjoy!

Dear iCandi Dear iCandi

Dear iCandi If a wife lost her desire for sex, no urges or wanting to, should she get angry if he has it with someone else or be glad he is being satisfied and not bothering her?

A. I live by this saying: “What you won’t do, someone else will.” Now, you both might need to compromise. If you want sex 3 times a day maybe you can settle for 3 or 4 times a week but if she has you waiting for MONTHS at a time I can’t even blame you; but, marriage is sacred. Maybe you can sign up for some marriage therapy sessions. Get her to the damn doctors to see if what she is going through is a health condition. If she’s willing to work with you, WORK ON IT. If not, then you need to have a serious talk with her. Maybe she’ll be okay with you having a little “play thing” on the side (you never know). I don’t think cheating is cool but you do need to communicate your needs with your wife. She needs to be understanding and as long as you communicate with her I don’t think her anger is valid. Good Luck! ~MsiCandi~

I've been talking to someone for a little while now, and she seems to like me a lot. She expresses this daily and in several ways. The problem is, I'm not feeling her like that. In the beginning, I was was very interested but the more and more we talked, the more I realized that the connection wasn't really there. I've tried to tell her, but every time I get the courage to do so, she does something nice or lets me know how much she likes me and it makes it harder to do. I don't want to feel like I'm leading her on, so what's the best way to go about it? Or should I give it more time to see what happens? ~Mr Uninterested~

A.

I personally have experienced this. You initially think, "Hey this person is really nice, very attractive, down to earth; something might be there." Over time, you realize that it's not there or you just outgrow those feelings. Trying to force yourself to feel something for someone that isn't there is not good for either one of you. For me, not being into him didn't take away the fact that he was a great man. He just wasn't the great man for me.

Women are very emotional so that rejection could really hit us hard but I would rather a man let me know the deal than to me keep pouring my heart out looking like Boo Boo the Fool.

Unfortunately her feelings are going to have to get hurt. Better now than later. I think everyone deserves someone that is TRULY into them 100% and not just dealing with them to spare their feelings. Try to let her down gently but be very clear and leave no room for "false hopes." The saddest thing is to see a woman pining after a man that's Just Not That Into Her. Good Luck :-) ~MsiCandi

Dear iCandi What do you expect from your man within the first six months of your relationship? ~James~

A.

Hey James!!!

A+er six months of a rela5onship I expect to know if he’s was5ng my 5me or not. I expect a commitment. I expect to have met his friends and family (or in the near future the family). I expect our rela5onship to be public.

I’m not doing the “it's complicated” thing for six months. Sleepovers, a few arguments, make up sex, (ha ha); six months is the start of something. It can let me know if this is real or not. ~MsiCandi

MsiCandi on Relationships: It’s been over three years since I’ve been in a relationship. When people hear this, questions begin to pour though. “Why are you single?” “Are you bitter over a man?” “Don’t you get lonely?” “Do you date?”

“What do you do for sex?” blah blah blah... In a nutshell, after my last relationship I needed to take some time for me. Get to know “Juli” and fall in love with myself all over again. The biggest mistake I’ve watched people make is jumping from one relationship to another. The fear of being alone kicks in and they end up in situations they don’t really want to be in, hurting someone new, not healing from past relationships, etc.

If you can’t be happily single, you most likely can’t be happy in a relationship (once the honeymoon stage is over).

Advice: Before you jump into a relationship, ask yourself if you're ready to fight through the storm, deal with irritating flaws, communicate your problems, and consider others' feelings before your own. If any of your answers are no, then don't do it, but if all of your answers are YES, YOU ARE READY...and candies, MsiCandi is FINALLY ready!

Wish Me Luck! ;-)

BUCKS with BUX It is that time of year that most kids can't wait for and that most parents dread: summer vacation. Most may feel like it is not a big deal, but in fact most parents spend more money during the summer. Some things that may help with the saving of money is having the kids do a few jobs to help them raise money. They can do lemonade stands or a yard sale. If old enough, they can even be a dog walker. All of these different jobs give kids responsibility and cuts back on the amount of money that you have to give them. It is a happy medium for everybody. Going into the summer, sit down with your kids to figure out the best ways for them to make money, so you can save a little of your own.

SUMMER JOB FOR KIDS TEENS

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Customer Service Blues...

Written by Glinda Towsend

Customer service horror stories. We've all heard them. We all have a few. That return cashier who wouldn't take back the item we were trying to return even though we had a receipt and it had never been used. The waiter who had an attitude and never came back to refill our glass. The shady car salesman who swore there was nothing wrong with the car yet you're sitting on the side of the road three days later watching as smoke pours from under the hood.

These stories have a way of being spread and embellished like wild fire in a dry forest. But where are the horror stories of the bad customers? The ones who try to return last year's fashions to buy this year's fashions. The ones who complain about their food just to get a free meal. The ones who get caught doing wrong then throw a fit when the employees don't allow them to get away with it. Where are these stories? These stories get swept under rugs and forgotten.

And if they don't then the employee who tells them deals with severe repercussions.

No longer. I am here to share these stories, to get them out. To allow people to see just how difficult customers can make the lives of employees everywhere. To explain just why employees may already have a bad attitude before they ever even get to you. Not to mention maybe, just maybe, I can teach employees and customers alike the rules of having a great customer service experience.

Let’s give an example of a bad customer…

I was recently at a very popular retail store to make a purchase. While waiting in what was a rather lengthy line I witnessed a spectacle that I simply wouldn’t have believed had I not seen it with my own eyes.

A customer walked in the door with an armful of clothing, she bypassed the line of customers who had been there before her and tossed the clothing onto the counter of one of the registers. The cashier at this register was already helping another customer and politely informed her that she would have to take her things to the end of the line and wait her turn to be helped. The customer rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, completely ignoring the associate’s direction.

At this point all of the customers that are standing in line with me begin to grumble. We have all been patiently waiting for our turn, all of us trying to be understanding that the associates were ringing as fast as they could. They even had managers ringing registers in an effort to minimize the wait time. The first customer in line loudly informed the lady where the back of the line was. The lady promptly turned her back on her.

When the cashier finished ringing out the customer she had been originally helping, the line skipping customer pushed her merchandise over to the register and told the cashier that she needed her money back. The cashier again tried to explain that she had to go to the end of the line and wait her turn.

The customer cursed at her and told her that she did not have time to wait in line, to hurry up and give her the money she needed. One of the managers came over and politely informed the customer that if she did not wait in line she would not be helped. The customer then snatched all of her clothing off of the counter and stomped to the end of the line where she stood behind me loudly complaining about how slow all of the employees in this store was.

The other customers and I tried to ignore her. The associates behind the counter kept glancing at each other and the manager. You could tell they were all wondering which of them was going to get the woman. I was completely intrigued on how this situation was going to be handled. Finally it got down to just the woman and myself waiting in line.

Two cashiers became available at the same time and since I was next you could see the rush to call me down because whoever was quicker would get me and not the rude woman behind me.

My transaction was complete but I stayed chatting with my cashier just to see the end of this episode. Eventually the woman left with all of the clothing after the manager threatened to have security forcibly remove her from the building. The woman slammed the door open so hard that she nearly broke it and ranted the entire way to her car, making sure to tell every customer she passed what a horrible store this was and that they shouldn’t even go inside.

When the woman got to her cashier she tossed her clothing on the counter and again demanded a refund. The cashier began to process the merchandise, including looking up the tickets in the computer to ensure they matched the items that they were attached too.

Surprisingly not one ticket matched one item. All of the clothing was clean but obviously worn and not at all something that this store would have sold. The manager had remained at the customer service desk because it was obvious this customer was going to cause a problem. And cause a problem she did.

When the associate informed her that she would not be able to return any of the merchandise because the tickets didn’t belong to them, the woman went hysterical. She began to scream obscenities at the associate, demanded that she be given a full refund in cash and threatened to call the corporate offices on them.

She insisted that she had purchased all of the clothing with those tickets attached and it wasn’t her fault that the store had let her buy them like that. The manager stepped up to the register and informed the lady that if she could produce a receipt for the merchandise she would be happy to use the time stamp at the bottom to look at the security cameras and if that was indeed the merchandise she had purchased she would be more than happy to give her a refund.

Now where did this situation go awry? The woman was obviously trying to be devious. This of course is wrong and no one should ever attempt this. This is the reason that associates always assume someone is trying to trick them, because quite a few people do try. This is an example of one bad apple ruining the bunch. She also attempted this scam with an attitude. Not only was she rude to the staff but she was rude to fellow customers. She skipped the line and made things uncomfortable with her many complaints and loudness. Then when her little scam fell apart instead of quietly leaving so as not to draw attention to herself she decided to make a complete spectacle of herself.

Everyone is sure to remember her and will be double checking everything she ever needs to return. I wouldn’t be surprised if they called the other stores in the chain to give her description and to warn them of her.

The rule that customers should remember is that scamming doesn’t work. It may get through once or twice but most stores do have strict policies in place in order to stop it. Don’t even try to attempt it. For those of us who are honest and innocent, remember that because of these bad apples there are policies in place that the cashiers must follow. Don’t just assume they are rudely accusing you of a crime. The rule that associates should remember in this case is that just because some people do attempt to be scandalous doesn’t mean that everyone is. Follow your policies but remain polite and understanding. Explain the policies to the customer so that they know you are only doing your job and not just assuming that they are trying to get one by you.

If you have a story about a bad customer, email it to me at glinda.townsend@yahoo.com and tell me all about it.

J Antoinne’s Music Reviews Usher - Looking 4 Myself RCA Records, 2012 Usher Raymond IV has practically been in the music game for twenty years and here and there, drops a consistent album. 8 701 is probably his most consistent to date, even though Confessions may be the biggest seller.

However, this album isn't a total misstep. There is a healthy balance of uptempo dance cuts and sultry ballads that most people can find something to like about this album. "Scream" is an ode to the old school dance songs but still sounds current; "Let Me See" is a nice, sexy, mainstream song with an inspired rap from Rick Ross; "I.F.U." is a sexy head-bopping club-banger, and "Twisted" features always-hot Pharrell, easily a standout song and possible radio-friendly single. When it comes to the slower numbers, you can tell that Usher has indeed been trying things with his voice, much to his credit. "Climax" is the infectious and memorable first single, "I Care For U" has him at his finest vocal delivery, and "Lessons For the Lover" is a nice mix of old-school vocals with current production. This is a pretty solid effort from Usher. Not quite 8702 Part II, but definitely worth a few spins.

(4 Stars)(B+)

Tank - This Is How I Feel Atlantic Records, 2012 Tank has been one of those artists that have always released consistently good albums that also include memorable singles or album cuts, and this album is no different. While the first album boasted great numbers like "Maybe I Deserve" and "Slowly", and the last album had the awesome remake of "I Can't Make You Love Me," this album boasts plenty of ballad fodder for even the most critical of R&B fans. Check out the first single, "Next Breath," which has him delivering a beautiful melody of awesome piano-like pitches over sinewy lyrics. Also worth more than a few listens is the album's closer, "Lost It All," a heartfelt ballad over a syncopated guitar riff not typically suited for balladry, yet it works. Even clubheads can find resolve in "Lonely" with Chris Brown, or the T.I.-laced "Compliments," a nice mix of midtempo and ballad. This album is definitely worth the time and effort of listening, almost bringing back "true" R&B. (4.5 Stars)(A)

Don’t Miss This CDs you probably don't have (but SHOULD) Shai - ...If I Ever Fall In Love Classic harmonies that brought us REAL music, including their best known hits like the title song (both versions), "Comforter," and "Baby I'm Yours." Definitely worth playing again in this R&B-less world.

Blackgirl - Treat U Right They were Total before there was a Total, but with the voices to actually prove it. The soaring harmonies of "Chains," "Where Did We Go Wrong," and their awesome remake of The Staples Singers's "Let's Do It Again" are worth the price of the CD alone.

Dawn Richard - Armor On (EP) Our Dawn Entertainment/Chartbreaker Music Group, 2012 Dawn is probably best remembered as being one of the "lead" singers of the groups Danity Kane (where she was probably the best singer anyway) and Diddy-Dirty Money (where she never really garnered any real attention), but few people would remember her first album Been A While, which wasn't that bad but not really memorable. Since each, she's been toying with us, "leaking" song after song without much fanfare. This EP probably won't be that memorable either; it's not overly horrible, just not really buzzworthy. Most of this album sounds like filler, like demo tracks that shouldn't have been released. The only songs that one can even think of liking is "Scripture," which is so blasphemous to the point of making someone feel wrong for listening, but definitely worth the listen, and "Save Me From You" with its thumping bassline and rhythmic melody, almost reminiscent of a Brandy song. If this is the best that Dawn can offer, I suggest she stick to singing backgrounds.

(2 Stars)(D)

Bobby Brown - The Masterpiece Xenon Records, 2012 This day and age, we're treated to a lot of 90s superstars making comebacks into the music arena, namely Johnny Gill and SWV. While Brown was the self-proclaimed "King of R&B" (maybe rightfully so), the key word in that statement is was. This album sounds, mostly, like something that should have been released ten or fifteen years ago. Most of this album sounds so uninspiring that it hopefully serves as an example for what not to do when making a comeback. "Doesn't Anybody Know" sounds forced and not melodic, "Can't Give Up" sounds like it was left in the cutting room from fifteen years ago, and "Exit Wounds" is just...wrong. The album's possible saving grace is the song "All Is Fair," which is reminiscent of the real singing Bobby Brown, and includes Johnny Gill. Other decent songs are "Don't Let Me Die," the best song on the album, and the closing "The Man I Want To Be," but by then you may (possibly) biased image of Bobby Brown and his crazy antics of trying to sing.

(2 Stars)(D)

iTunes Must Haves for the Summer Looking for that real Hip Hop & R&B Sound?

We have it for you. Download Jayce Miguel’s “Celebration” & Robert Hatcher’s “Oxygen both on iTunes today.

The #BringBackRealMusic Movement continues...

Jayce Miguel - Celebration

Take a little bit of Kanye West (flow), a little bit of Lupe Fiasco (creativity), a little of De La Soul (vibe), and a little LL Cool J (flavor), and mix them all together, and you'll have this little gem here. There's a little bit for everyone here; from Jayce's sharp but fun delivery that's full of energy and fluidity, to the syncopation that can easily be a nod to hip-hop's forefathers, this is a record that even the staunchest adversaries of hip-hop will love.

Robert Hatcher - Oxygen

There's a laid-back feeling of R&B here that is largely missing from the mainstream, which is definitely a credit to Hatcher. Silky-smooth vocals laid over a Caribbean-style beat make this song infectious and easily a summer jam. The harmonies flowing throughout add credible R&B flavor that's missing in the market today, and one can easily get this wispy feeling as if they're floating while listening to this song. Good stuff.

Summer Romance Gotta Love This time of the Year

Photo By: Shannon D. Photograpy

WE’RE PRAYING FOR YOU... YOU.... AND YOU In Our Angel Hands Thomas Chapman (The Legend) Carlos Jeff & Family Berdie Lewsis “Sista Mama” The Barnes Family Karen Daniels Toria & Family Kevin “Kdaddy” Hicks Joanne Williams Nevaeh Mccoy Phyllis Evans & Family Jose Aldanondo Robin Smith Ann Smith Lillian Smith Cheryl O’Coner Alicia Hearing & Family Matt & Michael Thompson Amber “Big Sexy” Johnson Tila Frost & Family Holly Carrigg & Family Jane Boyles Jennie Mathis Bonita King-Long Zahbria Thomson Junita Bonner Jasson Haynes Catherine Haynes Marcus “Skandal Da Rucus Man” Mitchell Shimika Haynes Marissa Alexander iCandi Supporters & Their Families

THERE’S POWER IN PRAYER and if you want to be added or add someone to the prayer list don’t hesitate email us at: icandipro@gmail.com

iCandi Angels R.I.P. William & “Candy” King Kandace Pyles Brycee & Cameron Jeff JP James Romano Anna Brown Jerome Swanson James “Jellybean” House Patricia Kirkland Scott Burrows Sr. John Bruce Gilmore Jr. Julia Ann Hicks LeRoy Morgan Nadene McGowan Reshaud Jackson James Revels Jr. Betty Bailey Sally Rowland Jannie Tubbs Theodore Perry Eric Early

Have you ever been in a situa/on where you’ve found yourself by yourself? For some, this /me span could range from a few weeks to as much as a few decades. “ The Mean/me” is typically the /me when you have chosen, for one reason or another, to leave one rela/onship, but aren’t quite ready to enter into a new one. Anyone who’s dated can certainly relate to having been there before at some point in their lives.

For some, this period of /me can be quite tough to cope with (Believe me, I’ve been there more /mes in my life than I would have liked).

Tips to survive through the meantime 1.

Acceptance-­‐ As hard as I know it is, I think one of the most important factors you must overcome is facing the fact that the life that you once had with that individual is over. When the purpose is fulfilled the lesson is done. That rela?onship has served whatever purpose God intended it to and now it’s ?me to move on.

2.

Heal-­‐ Ending a rela?onship can be processed similarly to death. If you need to mourn the loss by all means do so! Give yourself enough ?me to process and heal from the loss. Try to do at least one thing a day that will help you heal. For me I chose to write a gra?tude journal. Write down everything that you are grateful for; I don’t care if it’s waking up to see another day. Whatever you feel, write it down; trust me, it works!

3.

Trust yourself-­‐ Trust your feelings. Even if you were taken by surprise by the breakup, your inner voice is telling you something. Listen carefully and you will hear that it will all be OK. You just have to let

4.

Find Balance-­‐ I know it may seem like a good idea to surround yourself with family and friends that love and care about you as much as possible, but keep in mind that your ul?mate goal is to heal and you may not be able to successfully achieve that if you use people as a way of not dealing with the issue at hand. I’m not saying that it’s bad to hang out with friends; I’m saying that you should give yourself the opportunity to listen to your own inner voice.

5.

Be Pa3ent-­‐ The saying "all wounds heal in ?me" applies here. I’m not saying it will be easy, but it will be worth it in the end.

6.

Avoid Becoming Bi8er-­‐ Don’t allow this experience to cause you to become bitter; think of it as an opportunity to experience something greater.

Love yourself-­‐ Take ?me out to actually focus on you and love you! If you won’t love you how can you expect anyone else to? If you fail to incorporate this element into your healing process you will find yourself entering into a new rela?onship for all the wrong reasons. and I’m sure you can just imagine the end result of that situa?on. Think about what makes you the person that you are. Just like a flower that needs watering to grow, learn to nurture yourself in every way. Love yourself for all the good that you see and accept your flaws and the fact that you are imperfect. This does not mean that you do not learn to change from your shortcomings; instead, you are being gentle and kind to yourself despite all of your “flaws.”

8.

Acknowledge Your Effort-­‐ It is not always about winning or losing in everything that you do. Many ?mes, it is the effort that counts! Acknowledge that you have done your best, even if you have failed to produce tangible results.

n to

Lear

7.

9.

Stop Worrying-­‐ Worry does not help in any way shape or form. It cannot, on its own, make things happen. Only wise ac?ons can! Instead of worrying, spend ?me thinking about what you can do to help in the situa?on. If the situa?on is beyond your control, then make a request to God about what you want. Next, surrender your outcome. My favorite saying is “Expect a miracle and trust the process.”

el ours ive Y

Forg f.....

10.

Forgive yourself-­‐ If you’ve made mistakes in the past that have caused you to feel less worthy, then you need to forgive yourself. All of us make mistakes, so there really is no need to beat yourself up over them. Also, if you have been carrying around a baggage of emo?onal hurt because of a childhood trauma, past rela?onships that you never quite healed from, etc. learn to forgive yourself.

FASHION & BEAUTY CreaTIFF with Tiffany “Make Up Art with Attitude” I am the Queen of quick and easy! Get your mind out of the gutter first.... now think beauty. Here are some quick and easy natural tips to keep you just as stunning as ever.

After washing your face, rinse in cold water (fair-skinned people should use cool instead of cold) to close the pores and tighten the facial muscles.

Beauty Rest: Sleeping on your back will prevent many wrinkles and breakouts on your face, and even wrinkles in your cleavage area.

Got puffy eyes. The whole cucumber on the eye thing really does work. Cucumbers have an astringent in them that decrease the inflammation in skin. Let your slices sit on your eyes for 15 mins

Sleeping on two or three pillows at a time, or putting a wedge pillow under your... regular pillow will help get rid of dark circles under your eyes.

Best Face Forward: In need of a quick facial to tighten pores. Crack open a egg and apply it all over your face. Let it sit for 15 mins then remove with warm water.

Body Beautiful: Want your skin to feel as smooth as butter. Grab some brown sugar and olive oil from the kitchen. Mix it and then use it to scrub your entire body. Rinse and feel that baby soft skin left behind. (be careful exiting the tub. It will be extremely slippery) Now Go Live CreaTIFF-ly!

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CreaTiff Faces Make Up Art with an Attitude!!!

Full service make up artistry specializing in makeover consultations, private lessons, special events make up, Air brushing and body corrections. Available for Print, Commercial and Runway Bookings.

We will take you from work day to runway....

FASHION WITH R.E.D. It's summer /me!!! With summer /me comes par/es, weddings, and swimming. Some of the trends for this summer are comfy chic which translates to tradi/onal and high/low hem maxi dresses, jumpsuits, and maxi skirts. I love this black jumpsuit because it is different in a good way and can be paired with heels or flats to dress it up or down. Another trend that is /meless is animal print. Pictured below is a fierce one sholder zebra print jumpsuit paired with these fabulous shoes that can only make heads turn.

I hope these /ps will help you stay fierce and cool this summer. Happy shopping!

iCandi Fab of The Summer After 50 million years of music, one of the greatest (and very underestimated) groups in HISTORY receive recognition. BET honored Maze featuring Frankie Beverly by giving them the Lifetime Achievement Award on the 2012 BET Awards Show.

The tribute by Joe, Faith and Tyrese was an added bonus and when Maze & Frankie took the stage I know every black home with cable TV was up on their feet having a party.

Salute to Maze & Frankie Beverly. You truly deserve it.

Maze Feat Frankie Beverly FINALLY gets honored for their music

HOT MESS Love & Hip Hop is definitely the summer’s most ratchet addiction. It's like watching a train wreck but most of us can’t turn the channel. The love triangle with Mr. Stevie J has everyone talking, but the thing I’ve noticed the most is all the of crazy faces that he makes. I’m not sure what is going on but it's my summer entertainment.

Stevie J’s “RAT FACE” Is this guy for real?

INDEPENDENCE DAY Written By: Brotha Insight & Patrice Lumumba We know July 4th is the day of independence for this country. I think, though, it’s important for us to understand that a lot of countries in the Motherland had to fight for independence. The Congo was one of those countries that fought and broke away from Belgium. So as your eat your barbecue on the 4th remember our ancestors that fought not only here but back home in Africa and in other places.

Here's a portion of a speech written by one of our giants, Patrice Lumumba, the first Prime Minister of The Congo. This speech was very powerful.

“Victorious fighters for independence, today victorious, I greet you in the name of the Congolese Government. All of you, my friends, who have fought tirelessly at our sides, I ask you to make this June 30, 1960, an illustrious date that you will keep indelibly engraved in your hearts, a date of significance of which you will teach to your children, so that they will make known to their sons and to their grandchildren the glorious history of our fight for liberty.

For this independence of the Congo, even as it is celebrated today with Belgium, a friendly country with whom we deal as equal to equal, no Congolese worthy of the name will ever be able to forget that is was by fighting that it has been won [applause], a day-to-day fight, an ardent and idealistic fight, a fight in which we were spared neither privation nor suffering, and for which we gave our strength and our blood.

We are proud of this struggle, of tears, of fire, and of blood, to the depths of our being, for it was a noble and just struggle, and indispensable to put an end to the humiliating slavery which was imposed upon us by force.

This was our fate for eighty years of a colonial regime; our wounds are too fresh and too painful still for us to drive them from our memory. We have known harassing work, exacted in exchange for salaries which did not permit us to eat enough to drive away hunger, or to clothe ourselves, or to house ourselves decently, or to raise our children as creatures dear to us.

We have known ironies, insults, blows that we endured morning, noon, and evening, because we are Negroes. Who will forget that to a black one said "tu", certainly not as to a friend, but because the more honorable "vous" was reserved for whites alone?

We have seen our lands seized in the name of allegedly legal laws which in fact recognized only that might is right.

We have seen that the law was not the same for a white and for a black, accommodating for the first, cruel and inhuman for the other.

We have witnessed atrocious sufferings of those condemned for their political opinions or religious beliefs; exiled in their own country, their fate truly worse than death itself.

We have seen that in the towns there were magnificent houses for the whites and crumbling shanties for the blacks, that a black was not admitted in the motionpicture houses, in the restaurants, in the stores of the Europeans; that a black traveled in the holds, at the feet of the whites in their luxury cabins.

PEACE & BLESSING “BROTHA INSIGHT”…….

“our wounds are too fresh and too painful still for us to drive them from our memory....”

Bring Back The 90s!

90s THE

with J. Antoinne

The 90s was a period of vivaciousness, spirit, and love. Sure, the world was in turmoil, with the bombing of the Murrah building in Oklahoma City, the Columbine shootings in Colorado, and the L.A. riots, but the Chicago Bulls also won six NBA Championships, Serena Williams won her first of, to date, thirteen Grand Slam tennis titles, and The Lion King was the biggest blockbuster movie release of the decade and, at that time, all time. However, nothing remained as constant and wonderful as R&B music.

Think about it; some of the most memorable songs come from the 90s. From TLC's "Waterfalls" to Johnny Gill's "My My My" and beyond, artists had to depend on their voice to really sell albums. Sure, there may have been some bass-heavy synthesizers and some Autotune here and there (we didn't even know what Autotune was, back then), but R&B music of the 90s largely shied away from prepackaged vocals and samples. While today's "R&B" is rarely devoid of interpolations and samples from old school hits, 90s R&B was built on originality and serious singing. Even though there was a huge influx of girl groups (and even boy bands in the later part o the decade), albums released in the 90s didn't rely on the music of yesteryear to grab a following, no matter how large or small.

Mariah Carey burst onto the scene with her debut single "Vision of Love" in 1990. Who knew then that she would go on to be the first (and, to date, only) artist to have a #1 Billboard single in every year of a decade? Boyz II Men was already a force to be reckoned with, but who knew the single "End of the Road" and the album II would send them to practically unreachable heights? Several artists even achieved Diamond status when their 90s albums sold well over 10 million units, including two albums for Carey (Music Box and Daydream), Boyz II Men (II), Whitney Houston (The Bodyguard soundtrack), and TLC (CrazySexyCool).

The 90s was the period of some excellent baby-making music.

Keith Sweat begged his way onto your stereo, Gerald LeVert growled his way into your soul, and Johnny Gill told you to put on that red dress and those high heels. SWV told you to go "Downtown," Xscape told you that it "Feels So Good," and Shanice told you to "Turn Down the Lights." Az Yet reminded you of "Last Night" and En Vogue was "Giving Him Something He Can Feel."

There was plenty a child made in this time because lyrics these days were implied, not graphic. One could sing or play any of these songs aloud without getting censored at talent shows or even in front of parents.

Even still, the 90s were the impetus for the "love song", which definitely included the "Quiet Storm" era, the times when smooth, slow, and often piano-heavy songs mattered. These songs often tackled the varying degrees of love, including finding love, losing love, regaining love, hoping for love, searching for love, and trying to win love back. Keith Washington's "Kissing You" was awesome, Luther Vandross's "Here and Now" was THE wedding song of the decade, and Chante Moore told you that "It's Alright."

Brownstone had their biggest hit wanting you to prove your love in "If You Love Me," Michael Jackson wanted you to know that "You Are Not Alone," while both Allure and 112 were "All Cried Out."

Of course, even in the time of great music, there were some people that came and went, but not before dropping off some memorable hits. Lisa Fischer and her hit "How Can I Ease the Pain" took the world by storm, and while the song still gets play, Lisa has practically disappeared from the mainstream radar. Rome came out with the smash hit "I Belong to You (Everytime I See Your Face)" and flew off the radar. Shae Jones had her hit "Talk Show Shh!" and then went underground. Kimberly Scott came around with her song "Tuck Me In" and basically went to sleep. Chris Stokes and TUG came around and couldn't get things together, with Quindon, Gyrl, and Smooth all making noise and then leaving (and he wouldn't get any artist right until B2K came and went in the 2000s). The Voices had a huge hit with "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah" before fading into relative obscurity. Chantay Savage came around with her amazing remake of "I Will Survive" and then practically vanished. Groove Theory was big with "Tell Me" and then went away with the wind.

The 90s are most known for the New Jack Swing era, which then faded into the Quiet Storm era, then the hiphop collabs era. As such, there were many singing groups that were born and bred in this area. From UNV with "Somethin's Going On" and Jade with "Don't Walk Away", For Real with "Love Will Be Waiting At Home" and Shai with "Comforter", to Dru Hill with "In My Bed (So So Def Remix)" and 702 with "Steelo", and 112 with "Only You" and Blaque with "808," songs were catchy, fluid, and easily remembered. From Solo to Pure Soul, from Jagged Edge to Total, and from Jodeci to Xscape, groups had the 90s on lockdown.

It's no wonder that today's artists are easily sampling hits from the 90s, and some artists from the 90s are marketing comebacks in the 2000s, because the 90s was when we genuinely cared about R&B music. Hopefully with a bit of 90s infusion, we can reawaken that long-forgotten genre of REAL R&B music.

What Would You Do.....

If you woke up (the age you are now) and it was 1995?

Find Out What Team iCandi Answers Were.....

Gryndhousz Go have sex with all my teachers:)

Go2Gurl GO TO SCHOOL...LOL

Brotha Insight I’d be happy as hell....LMAO

@CoachPCare throw on a windbreaker and dance lol @RoughChild party like its 1995 lol Rhonda Fo'eva Craddock go back to high school and cut up......

ILoveme Evenif Youdont get wonderful grades....and go to class instead of to the mall with mark.

Masheeakh Settles Id start rapping and become the newest member of the Rocafella Team Yvett Morlock Id say yay !!! But would be totaly lost...lol lol Sylvan Edward I would go find me THEN and tell him everything he's gonna need to know. lol I'd go to Vegas and bet on every NBA and NFL game I can remember the score of, I’d tell Pac to wear his Vest on 9/7/96, Invest in Apple, and I would create Facebook and Google lol Kendra MT Oh man...i'd try not to touch anything or disturb any events. i've seen "The Butterfly Effect".

@William_Boston I would party like it was 95 @chrissyb10 I guess I'd be checking my phone to find out what happened, why, and googling the news lol @YmustUfollowME EVERYTHING LOL...... @GOOd_Knowledge same thing I'm doing now laying on my bed day dreaming about being able to help people with my lotto winnings @Nick_Da_Barber move to chicago and cut hair @Kdaddy76 a 35 year old high school senior? Nah that ain’t gonna work lol @oneals2focus I'm going to a Biggie & Aaliyah concert! @robhatcher Go back to sleep lol

Nina Beauvais I would start a group with my sister and cousins ..and be a signer LOL Ray Love I would invest in nike and any other business boomin nowadays Quinton Ladon Millow I would treat my high school girlfriend better.

Bring Back The 90s!

Two years ago, I was rolling to the club with my girlfriend at the 5me and a couple of her friends. I was completely shocked to hear their words in a comfortable atmosphere.

"B*&S# this/ B*&S# that", "Hoe, you got me weak", "..nah slut, you have me mistaken for that other b*&S#", "He doesn't know what to do with a real B*&S#", as they laughed out loud. Was being a "real b*&S#" a glorified 5tle? Are these words terms of endearment?

DJ Chris Paul

Now that's a “Bad B*&$#" Terms of endearment or

Ladies, at what point did this become cool? Was it aSer countless references by your favorite MC (if you can even call him/her an MC anymore, but that's a en>rely different blog/topic)? Or maybe it took R. Kelly to harmonize that you were a b*&S# before you found comfort in the word. Oh, I know when it became hot to be a bitch: When Fatman Scoop screamed over Busta Rhymes's or Biggie's track, urging that "ALL MY REAL LIVE B*&S#, THROW YOU HANDS UP!"

..and you did it, threw your hands up, and years later, it's cool to be a b*&S#. Ok, ok, that's a li8le extreme, but you get the point!

There was a >me when a woman would say that she didn't want to be called a b*&S# because of her ideals and principles. I remember an old female manager of mine was afraid to speak up in a mee>ng because she didn't want to be viewed as a b*&S#. Now we embrace such derogatory terms? Now that I think about it, there was a >me when men reserved the word bitch to say behind your back. But now, if it's accompanied by "you's a bad azz...", it can be an a8rac>ve pick up line in the club. HUH? The last >me that I checked, the defini>on of b*&S# was s>ll a female dog. There is nothing sexy or cool about you being a BAD AZZ B*&S# (and don't let Lil' Webbie tell you anything different).

On the flipside, I love a fly ass woman! There's nothing else in the world like one!

LET'S keep it 100 on this. White people, who make more money than us (sta>s>cally), who own more businesses, and who are more successful, don't associate themselves with words or phrases that may have nega>ve or derogatory use/impact. I can almost guarantee that none of you have heard a group of white women/men in the gym saying "What's up cracker? Shhhid. Nothing.... 'bout to head over this b*&S#'s house, Cindy, to see what's good." They have more respect for themselves. Why don't we?

Ladies, as much as I hate to break some of your hearts (let me remind you that I said some), we (men) don't wife our "trill ass b*&S#", (even with as much love as we have for them); we marry the real women in our corners.

I may be speaking out of turn and I'm sure you'll let me know if I am, but the really good fellas that are actually doing something for themselves would probably, subconsciously, disqualify you as a poten>al wife and place you in different "box" if they heard you glorify yourself as a "Real B*&S#."

Ladies, think about it. Do you use this terminology amongst your friends? If so, why?

Why and when did "Hey B*&S#" become synonymous with "Hey Girl"? Why do we embrace these words?

Fellas, how do you feel about girls who call themselves B*&S#es/hoes?

TALK TO ME!

WHAT HAPPENED TO HIP HOP?

What happened 2 hip hop... when it made u wanna dance all night 2 the boogady beat or when r&b made U wanna b swept off u'r feet.

When lovin u was easy cuz Ur beautiful and every day of my life belonged 2 it and makin music wasn't just bout havin a hit when we didn't have much but we made it work and we ate grits cuz we were poor but 1 things 4 sure We weren't glorifying selling drugs When street life was the only life we knew and we did what we had 2 do to rise above the Ghetto When every woman wasn't a ho Where did the love go?

I never could figure out Y Monie was n the middle and I was happy 2 b little with my boom box blastin Jackson 5 Damn it felt good 2 b alive Man L L made me wanna b an around the way girl wanted 2 change my name 2 Sheila because of Ready 4 the World and X Clan had a chick feelin so militant and proud 2 b of African descent and people really knew what being black meant Let me close my eyes and go back n mind 2 a time when what was inside our community was the definition of fine

Now we wanna cross the border lighten our skin starve ourselves 2 b thin Disposable body parts just 2 fit n and become what is considered beauty Dru Hill they knew what beauty was it was the woman U walked by everyday the 1 U wanted 2 love U n a special way cuz that's what El Debarge would say Damn what happened 2 music?

I''m tired of hearin all this synthesized crap and tired of hearin folks spittin the next mans rap what happened 2 musicians, horny horns, sheila on drums, Barbarella on keys, and singers that could really sing outside of the studio and it was cool 2 say Yo......Yo Yo Yo Yo baby pop Yeah U come and give me a kiss but U played it real low so moms wouldn't get pissed When dancin required a broken down box and skill and artists actually had free will and weren't controlled by suits and having sex wasn't f*ckin it was knockin the boots Now that..... is the Hip Hop that changed us all Even people who's idea of music was limited and small.

It crept n2 U'r soul and made u'r head bop tears fall from my eyes 4 my old Hip Hop

Written By Lateefah Ragland

Bring Back The 90s!

WERE YOU AT THE 90s HOUSE PARTY MIXER? IF YOU WEREN’T, YOU MISSED OUT!!!

CHEK OUT THE PICS TO SEE EXACTLY HOW WE BROUGHT BACK THE 90s!!!

TUNE INTO ICANDI RADIO.....

SUPPORT THE ARTS! TALENT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF

Snack Attack from the 90s By: MsiCandi

Since we have been bringing back the 90s, I wanted to take you on a flashback journey. Let's remember some of our favorite snacks from the 90s.

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Twizzler's Pull 'n Peel Loved by many, hated by MsiCandi. I’m not sure why but all of my friends loved this candy and they didn’t have to worry about sharing with me.

Rice Krispie Treats I always though this was taking it easy way out. One of my favorite things I used to do with the original “Candy” (my nana) was make rice krispie treats. When Kelloggs decided to package them, it cheated people of the experience of bonding and making them with our moms or grandmothers. Still a great snack!

Waffle Crisp Cereal This was a cereal that I fell in love with, but sadly, they took it off the market! Dang I miss this!

PLACES TO BE If you live in Cincinnati (or surrounding areas) we need your support! Our DJ, DJ Sutle, has a big opportunity and we make to show him love. On July 21 he will be spinning at Cincy's. It’s 21 & Up and NO COVER!! If you were at the 90s mixer, you know that our DJ keeps the party jumping, so show your support candies and be there...and take lots of pics! :-)