What Kind Of Asian Are You? Where Are You Really From?
Charles Cole III: Our Black Boys...
By Karu F. Daniels, AOL Black Voices
Hip-Hop diva Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott joins a short list of the genre's pioneers and legends to be honored during the fourth annual 'VH1 Hip Hop Honors,' premiering Oct. 8.
Hosted by comedian Tracy Morgan, the show -- which celebrates the players who broke new ground and pioneered the genre into a true cultural phenomenon -- will be taped at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City on Oct. 4.
West coast rap icon Snoop Dogg, old-school hip-hop trio Whodini, original hip-hop super-producer Teddy Riley, and hip-hop-soul music mogul Andre Harrell are among this year's honorees. A special 25th Anniversary tribute of the break-dancing film 'Wild Style' will also take place.
Elliott, who has been lavished with many coveted awards over the past decade (including four Grammy Awards), said that this particular event is "more" than a regular honor.
"Hip-hop is my first love and no one can ever tell me dreams don't come true," she told 'The BV Newswire' yesterday. "Although I'm being honored, I am more honored being part of this music that has such realness, rawness and edge and being around so many who have made records that motivated me to be creative and original and follow my own path in music."
"Run DMC, Salt-N-Pepa, Slick Rick, LL Cool J, MC Lyte, Big Daddy Kane, Erick B & Rakim and [Queen] Latifah are just a few who I honor," she said, naming other honorees who have come before her. "I thank God for allowing me to reach the masses with my music. You'll never know how grateful I am. Through all of my struggles you've made me feel loved and again, I am more than grateful for this incredible honor. I love you all and hip-hop!"
Elliott, whose first incarnation in the music business came in the form of being a member of the Devante Swing-created girl group Sista (think = Mary J. Blige meets Jodeci times four), broke through as a hit-making, behind-the-scenes collaborator of Timbaland's in the mid-1990s. Her contribution to hit projects by Aaliyah and 702 galvanized her into the hip-hop soul arena, making way for her auspicious debut opus 'SupaDupaFly' in 1997. Five albums later, Missy (as she is affectionately known) has been one of the more consistent hip-hop artists over the past decade. As a song-writer, producer and guest cameo-maker, the Portsmouth, Virginia native has been called on by the biggest names in the business, including Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Blige, Lil' Kim, Madonna, Nelly, Michael Jackson, Diddy, Angie Stone, Beyonce, Monica and Fantasia.
And helping Elliott achieve her success along the way was her manager Mona Scott, who calls her "a musical and visual icon second to none."
Upon hearing that VH1 announced the honor, the Violator Management chief proclaimed, "In a genre generally reserved for testosterone driven braggadocio or slinky haired diva-dom, Missy Elliott has forever carved her niche in pop culture and hip-hip history. She is a creative force tirelessly engaged in a quest to bend our ears and challenge our senses - all while daring us to find a new way to bounce. This honor is well deserved and long overdue and I am so proud of my client and my friend."
Scott, one of the most hands on superstar talent managers, revealed that Elliott's latest disc -- her sixth studio album, tentatively titled 'The Countdown' -- is due out in a few months. A new single should drop at radio next month.
AOL VIDEO: Missy 'Misdemeanor' Elliott -- 'She's A B**ch'
Comments: (24)
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By: Chalon on 7/16/2007 2:17PM
It's about time-congrats Missy, you deserve it!
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By: lisa on 7/16/2007 4:28PM
Missy has done some great things for the music business being a woman. http://youtube.com/watch?v=3GVTGNcGNeY
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By: Dex on 7/16/2007 9:05PM
It is too soon for them to Honor Missy, they should do LaTifah first.
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By: Tarsha on 7/20/2007 8:05PM
I think Missy is one of the baddest female to date in the music industry and she is much deserving of this honor. I have been a big fan of hers since she came out with " SupaDupa Fly". She reminds me of the Babyface and L.A. Reid's, Jermaine Dupri, Jimmy Jam but she brings it and represents the female side of this industry. A voice for women. Now, I can say she is like my girl Latifah whom they need to honor as well.
I grew up on hip-hop and I miss some of the old hip-hop vibes but Missy takes hip-hop to a whole nother level with that old/new school feel. I sure it is a doggy dog world in the industry with men but she has most definitely earned the respect and should get it.
One Luv and Congratulations, Missy!
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By: Miss Karen on 7/21/2007 5:41PM
No doubt Missy deserves to be recognized, but there were many others before her first one comes to mind is Roxanne Shante, just because she was one of the first ever and Queen Latifa because she said things that were not popular and made us listen.
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By: jaddocky on 7/23/2007 1:20PM
missy is another sister who needs Jesus and will have to give an account to God for having been blessed with such talent. she has been given a platform and yet is using it to promote and perpetuate everything contrary to righteousness. everything in word or deed is to be done to the glory of God. if not, all will have to answer. God is not being glorified through missy elliot's music.
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By: Jason Clark on 7/29/2007 9:29PM
Although she is unique in the rap game and although she is one of the more consistent female rappers nowadays when it comes to music and fame, I think it's a little too early to be honoring her. Queen Latifah should've been in there somewhere, shoot even Lil' Kim who has been doing this since '93, way back in the day. I thought it was even too early for Wu-Tang last year but hey they did just start this hip-hop honor thing. Congratulations Missy but I would give you another 4 or 5 years before getting an honor that Salt N Pepa and the rest of the old school artists that came before you have gotten and should get first before you. Did Jay-Z or Nas get Hip-Hop honored yet?.
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By: J.R.Winfree on 7/30/2007 6:43AM
"Bishop James & Betty R Winfree & Team Ministries "
Are You A Disciple Of Jesus Christ?
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have
commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of
the age."
INTRODUCTION
1. The above statement was made by Jesus to His apostles shortly before
He ascended to heaven - Matt 28:18-20
2. Commonly called "The Great Commission," notice the main thought of
Jesus' command...
a. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations..."
b. To "make disciples," therefore, is the GOAL of evangelizing the
world for Christ
3. Are you a disciple of Jesus?
a. More than likely you believe in Jesus...
b. You might even be one to attend church services regularly
-- But is that what it means to be His disciple?
4. The purpose in this study is to make clear what is involved in
being a true disciple of Jesus Christ
[To begin, let's define the word "disciple"...]
I. THE DEFINITION OF A DISCIPLE
A. THE WORD "DISCIPLE"...
1. The word "disciple" literally means A LEARNER
2. According to Vine's Expository Dictionary Of New Testament
Words, it denotes "one who follows another's teaching"
3. But a disciple was not only a learner, he was also AN ADHERENT
4. For this reason disciples were spoken of as IMITATORS of their
teachers.
B. THE GOAL IN BEING A DISCIPLE...
1. Stated by Jesus himself: to be like the teacher - Luke 6:40
2. To be Christ's disciple, then, is to strive to be like Him!
3. According to the apostle Paul, this coincides with God's goal
in the redemption of mankind, that they be conformed to the
image of His Son - Rom 8:29
[Do you have a strong desire to follow Jesus and become like Him?
Unless you do, it cannot be said that you are truly His disciple!
There are also some "identifying marks" of discipleship given by Jesus
which can help us to further identify a true disciple of Jesus...]
II. THE MARKS OF A DISCIPLE
A. A DISCIPLE IS "ONE WHO ABIDES IN JESUS' WORDS" - John 8:31
1. This would imply being a diligent student of the teachings of
Christ
2. It also requires one to be a "doer" of the Word - Matt 7:21-27;
James 1:21-25
3. In view of this, a true disciple would not...
a. Fail to study the Bible diligently
b. Willingly refrain from opportunities to study with others
(e.g., Bible classes, church services, gospel meetings).
B. A DISCIPLE IS ALSO "ONE WHO LOVES THE BRETHREN" - John 13:34-35
1. With a love patterned after the love of Jesus ("as I have
loved you")
2. With a love that is visible to the world ("by this all will
know")
3. Therefore, a true disciple would...
a. Make every effort to get to know his brethren
b. Take advantage of occasions to encourage and grow closer to
them (e.g., attending services on Sunday and Wednesday
nights)
4. Remember, a disciple is one who wants to become like his
teacher
a. Was Jesus willing to sacrifice time and effort for His
brethren?
b. Of course, and so will we... IF we are truly HIS disciples!
C. A DISCIPLE IS "ONE WHO BEARS MUCH FRUIT" - John 15:8
1. Notice the word "much" (also found in verse 5)
a. Jesus is not talking about an occasional good deed
b. But a lifestyle which prompts people to glorify God!
- Matt 5:16
2. This is so important, that failure to bear much fruit will
result in being severed from Christ - John 15:1-2
3. How can one be a disciple if he or she is cut off from Christ?
[The point should be clear: to be a disciple of Jesus Christ means
more that just a casual church member. It requires COMMITMENT,
especially in regards to:
The teachings of Christ
The love of brethren
Bearing fruit to the glory of God
The kind of commitment involved is seen further when we consider the
"high cost" of discipleship demanded by Jesus in Luke 14:25-33...]
III. THE COST OF BEING A DISCIPLE
A. JESUS MUST COME FIRST - Luke 14:26
1. Before anyone else, including members of our own family
- t Matt10:34-37
2. Even before one's own self - Luke 9:23-25
B. WE MUST BE WILLING TO SUFFER FOR CHRIST - Luke 14:27
1. Trying to live godly lives in an ungodly world, we may find
that following Christ sometimes involves ridicule and
persecution - 2 Tim 3:12
2. Even if we are blessed to escape such things, we must still be
willing to expend time and effort in promoting the cause of
Christ in positive ways
C. PUTTING IT SIMPLY, WE MUST FORSAKE ALL TO FOLLOW CHRIST
- Luke 14:33
1. In other words, Jesus must be KING and LORD of our lives
2. Nothing can take precedent over Him and His Will for us
[This kind of "high cost" of discipleship demanded by Jesus caused
many people to turn away from following Him. But Jesus wasn't trying
to attract large crowds, He wanted disciples!
Is the COST worth it? I believe so, for consider some of the REWARDS
of discipleship...]
IV. THE REWARDS OF BEING A DISCIPLE
A. THERE IS THE PROMISE OF "FUTURE BLESSINGS"...
1. We shall be saved from the wrath of God which is yet to come
upon the world for its sins - Rom 5:9
2. We can look forward with joyful anticipation of eternity with
God, free from sorrow, pain and death - Rev 21:1-8
B. THERE ARE ALSO "PRESENT BLESSINGS"...
1. Jesus offers a PEACE the world cannot give to calm the
troubled heart - John 14:27
2. His words inspire JOY to lift our spirits out of any
depression - John 15:11
3. He also offers to those who follow Him the ABIDING LOVE OF
GOD, which can cast out fear - John 15:9; 1 John 4:18
4. And he makes it possible for us to be members of THE FAMILY OF
GOD, which is able if need be to replace our physical family
- Mark 10:28-30
[There are many other blessings we could mention that are enjoyed by
disciples of Jesus; but these suffice to demonstrate that though
discipleship is costly, the rewards far exceed the cost!
Now that we understand the nature of discipleship, its cost and
rewards, I hope that we want to be true disciples of Jesus Christ.
But how does one begin?
For the answer we return to our beginning text - Matt 28:19-20...]
V. THE BEGINNING OF A DISCIPLE
A. ACCORDING TO JESUS, IT INVOLVES BAPTISM - Matt 28:19
1. Why baptism?
a. Remember the goal of discipleship: to be like Jesus
b. He was holy and sinless, yet we are to be like Him
c. Fortunately, baptism is described as an act of faith which
puts us in contact with the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ
so we can be forgiven - Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom 6:3-4
d. It is also the means by which one "puts on Christ"
- Gal 3:27
-- SO BAPTISM IS THE LOGICAL STARTING PLACE FOR TRUE
DISCIPLESHIP!
2. But what is baptism?
a. It is an act of submission which must be preceded by faith
in Jesus and repentance for our sins - Acts 2:36-38; 8:36-37
1) This precludes infant baptism
2) For infants are incapable of believing and repenting
b. It is also an act of submission which involves a burial in
water, in which one then rises to walk in newness of life
through the power of God - Acts 8:38; Rom 6:3-4; Col 2:12
1) This precludes sprinkling or pouring as a mode of
baptism
2) For neither of these involve a "burial" nor an immersion
(which is the meaning of the Greek word "baptidzo")
c. When done according to the Word of God, baptism then
becomes an act of faith on our part which results in a
wonderful working of God in our lives!
1) Our sins are washed away by the blood of Jesus
- Acts 22:16; Eph 5:25-27
2) We are "regenerated" and "renewed" by the Spirit of God
so we can now live for God! - Tim 3:5-6
3) It is truly a "rebirth" involving both water and the
Spirit - John 3:5
B. BUT BAPTISM IS ONLY THE BEGINNING, TEACHING AND OBEDIENCE MUST
FOLLOW - Matt 28:20
1. This brings us back to the very definition of discipleship
2. For Jesus clearly states:
a. We are to be TAUGHT (that is, to be LEARNERS)
b. We are to OBSERVE (that is, to be ADHERENTS or DOERS)
3. In this way we embark on a life devoted to learning and doing
all that Jesus has commanded us to do
CONCLUSION
1. Only those scripturally baptized and demonstrating the "marks" of
discipleship, despite the "costs," can truly be called disciples of
Jesus!
2. Only they can realistically look forward to the "rewards" of
discipleship, and take consolation in the promise of Jesus:
"and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age"
- Matt 28:20
If you are a disciple of Jesus Christ, then the prospects of "A
Closer Walk With God" and more fruitful service as a disciple should
be of great interest to you. I hope the lessons to follow will help
fulfill that interest.
A note from Minister James R Winfree Sr,
straight talk from my soul and spirit to all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ, ......When we look at the ugliness of Division and Racism and the impact its having on Church of Jesus Christ , we really need to know and realized there is a solution to this problem and the answer is found in God word The Bible. When Division and Racism rears its ugly head in the Church we miss out on capable people because they are not of our skin color, this happens because we treat people like we see them, and try as we might,
our own Prejudices is perceived by the person who is treated in less-that Equal manner. needless to say, that person's loyalty will be shallow and short-lived. As you should know by now we are not going to leave this alone until this Evil of Division and Racism is Cut from the Body of Christ , His Church. Prejudices is frequently a matter of what's best for little old me", example: If you are prejudiced and of any color and you needed a heart transplant and the only one available is from someone you hated, would your hate and prejudices still prevail?.
..or would you be grateful for your life made possible by somebody you hated?......This is a reality, if your life of the life of your loved one we at stake, you would not care if your benefactor, were White, Black, Brown, Yellow, Red or Mixed. you wouldn't even ask if he or she what color of their skin.
I hope and pray you will remember this when you deal with those of other skin color which our God loves so much and gave His Son Jesus for. Again face to face and eye to eye All Division, Racism is Sin and morally , socially, scientifically and Biblically wrong!!!..
....This is a ugly Sin in our Churches and Bishop James R Winfree Ministries & Team will deal with only by God's love and the power of Christ Jesus Holy Spirit. We are all about God's Love, Unity,Equality and Relationships in Christ Jesus and with each other in God's family..We are here if you like to learn more and send prayers and support to our Lord's Vision@ http://www.freewebs.com/winfreeministries/ www.myspace.com/bishopwinfree/ jawin05@sbcglobal.net/ bishopwinfree057@aol.com/ Home office ( 713 ) 791-0913
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By: SMOKES WEED LIKE A HIPPIE on 7/30/2007 8:52AM
BIGG UP TO THE DOGG FATHER 17 YEARS IN THE GAME AND IS "STILL" REVERED AS A POP ICON..MUCH LOVE, KEEP PUTTIN OUT DAT GANGSTA - HIT
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By: SMOKES WEED LIKE A HIPPIE on 7/30/2007 8:57AM
OH ONE MORE THING BLACK PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CALLIN ON JESUS FOR OVER 400 HUNDRED YEARS..EXCUSE ME (yes im black too) BUT I THINK THEY SHOULD TRY SOMETHING ELSE..WE WERE ENSLAVED IN THE NAME OF JESUS,,WERE TOLD WE WAS DOING GOD'S WILL BY BEING A GOOD SLAVE AND BLACKS ARE CURRENTLY OPPRESS IN HIS HOLY NAME ..HELLO DOES ANYBODY HEAR ME?
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