Read Between THESE Lines, For Better or Worse, I’ll take Structure Over Chaos

By Miguel Lloyd

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Well the much anticipated premiere of the most recent Tyler Perry installment into our social conscience happened on this past Friday. For Better or Worse premiered on TBS.

Admittedly I was intrigued as most of us were about how these characters made famous in the Why Did I Get Married movies would translate to the small screen. It only made sense those would be the characters chosen, seeing as they were the comedic element of those films. In one word, I was “unimpressed.”

I guess I keep waiting for TP’s projects to evolve into something more mature. I guess I keep waiting for his movies and shows to develop a story line and help us grow threw entertainment, instead of what he did with this show. He simply, took the success of todays reality shows and turned them into a sitcom. Show rich black women who think about no one but themselves, along with men looking to stay out of their way and their impending tirades. It is truly a tired theme.

Oh, but some would argue that it is about family and the struggles of blended families. Thats a common theme in America…right? Sure it is, but two adult women arguing over who’s kid called her a hoe are not. That is just childish and insulting to many of us who are working our way through that same dilemma of life.

Well about a month earlier, BET premiered Reed Between The Lines. The show that is more of Cosby Show 2.0, that it is Real Housewives of Atlanta. They have tackled themes that center around not only the lives of the kids, but made sure to address, things that Cosby never did 25+ years ago. Blended families and intimacy between the parents. Unlike Bill and Claire, these characters are young and vibrant in addition to being career focused and family focused. They even spent an hour this week addressing a subject that may be considered a “left field” story line about a Marine suffering from PTSD. In my humble opinion, they are going into a direction that is a lot more real, than the reality show/soap opera theme TP introduced us to out the gate with his show. Is there a market for it? Of Course there is. Thats why the networks keep ordering these shows. I just think that Tyler Perry has had enough success, which should translate into influence. But his track record says that its what he wants to do, and is what a lot of us want to see. Of course story lines evolve, hopefully if there is enough outcry by us, there will be evolutions in the characters of For Better or Worse, but maybe not.

Join us this week on Life Full Circle Radio as we will discuss this and much more. Of course, as always, we will have our super producer, Nikkia Ganey with hot topics, Seshmi Robertson with Entertainment, Elton Gumbel with Sports and Alton Drew with the Politics365.com Politics segment. Join us this and every Wednesday night for the lively conversation by clicking HERE!

Black in America: My Thoughts

By Nikkia “Kia” Ganey

Sunday night, along with thousands of people worldwide, I pulled up to my couch to watch part 4 of the CNN Black in America series.  For the past 4 years, CNN and Soledad O’Brien has been exploring different aspects of life in America as an African American. This Sunday they explored “The New Promise Land- Silicon Valley.” This series followed eight black entrepreneurs immersed in Silicon Valley’s startup scene as part of the NewMe Accelerator. Still, the high tech center of the United States is dominated by young males who are mostly white and Asian.

I was under the impression that the series would follow African American people who have changed their careers, moved to Silicon Valley and are now working in software, technology and computer industry…people like me. True, I do not live in Silicon Valley, but my entire career is based online. As a Google and MSN Paid Search Analyst I am in a Male and white dominated world. In my current position I am the only African American who works for the company.  Even with being a minority in my company and my field I truly enjoy it, but this is not the direction that I thought my career would take.

 As an African American student in high school I had no clue what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew I wanted to be successful. I remember getting my acceptance letter to Florida A & M University thinking “Oh crap…what am I going to do at this school for 4 years”.  The day of Freshman Orientation I decided on the spot I was going to go into journalism. I loved to write, I loved the news and I knew it was something that would get me to my ultimate goal of being successful. I graduated with a degree from FAMU and an impressive under graduate portfolio.

I immediately started applying for jobs and saw that journalism jobs were few and far between. Instead of letting the fear of living at home with my mother for the rest of my life, while I wait for my big break, I decided to broaden the scope of what I was looking for. I was offered a job as a copywriter for a marketing company in Daytona Beach Florida. The job was an eye opener, I started creating print pieces and online materials to promote different products. I wrote scripts for online commercials, copy for websites and even got to review and critique new websites. I made the decision to stay in online field just as the bottom fell out of the economy and I loss my job, but the change was the best decision I could have ever made. As the economy tanked, my career was still going strong and doors flung open. Fast forward 4 years and now my entire career is based online.

I am a paid search analyst by day, I produce an online radio show at night and I freelance as an online marketing consultant for non-profit and for-profit organizations. Of everything that I do, I love the radio show the most. I love that while I am producing I can interact with fans on various social networking platforms. I love my career and look forward to going to work every morning. I talk about what I do to my friends and family and I notice that their faces glaze over in boredom, even though I am bouncing off the walls describing the new products that Google is testing this week, the new Ad Center editor tool or new articles that have come out about new innovations being released to improve marketing a product online.  I understand that the online world seems boring and it’s not the first choice for African American’s coming out of high school, especially African American women, but the industry is shifting and the capabilities of technology are growing every second, meaning new career opportunities are opening up constantly.

I would have loved for the Black in America piece to show more African American’s like me who have transitioned into an online tech career and have moved to Silicon Valley and are now working for companies like Intuit, eBay, Salesforce and Google.  I would love to see more women like me who have transitioned into the tech world and are flourishing, but maybe next time…

Join Nikkia as she helps produce Life Full Circle Radio. The show is hosted by Miguel Lloyd.  Nikkia Ganey will also have hot topics, Seshmi Robertson with Entertainment, Elton Gumbel with Sports and Alton Drew with the Politics365.com Politics segment. Join us this and every Wednesday night for the lively conversation by clicking HERE!

Life Full Circle 1st Anniversary Show!!!

By Miguel Lloyd

UPDATE If you missed this show, you need to check it out! Especially the ladies.  Click HERE to the replay!

Tonight on Life Full Circle Radio, we are celebrating our 1st Anniversary!! Were going to grab some of our BEST interviews and segments! David and Tamela Mann, Bishop George Davis, Kermit Buggs of Penn State and Mr. Solutions will all be apart of this show!

If you like those “reunion” shows when they give you all the highlights that you’ve missed, well this is the show for you. You will get a snap shot of who we are and why this is appointment listening and reading, week in and week out!

Of course, as always, we will have our super producer, Nikkia Ganey with hot topics, Seshmi Robertson with Entertainment (I know Heavy D[RIP) will be a part of her segment), Elton Gumbel (NBA, NFL talk)with Sports and Alton Drew (#OWS and Herman Cain) with the Politics365.com Politics segment. Join us this and every Wednesday night for the lively conversation by clicking HERE!

Heavy D “We’ve Got Nothing But Love For You” RIP

By Miguel Lloyd

When I received the news of brother Heavy D passing, the first thing I thought was, “Wow”. Although I am a product of the hip hop generation and love the culture, because of the direction it has gone in, I don’t listen to hip hop the way I used to. I know my story is similar to many of you. There is something about playing “The Chronic” or Redman’s “What the Album”, around my kids that doesn’t exemplify being a good father.

When we were coming up, just like any other teenage kids we were rebellious sneaking to watch and listen to artists that most of us weren’t asking our mothers a fathers to play in the boom box at the cookouts. Than there was Heavy D.

This brother blended the fun stuff, with dance music, a little classic R & B, at the same time blending in his Caribbean roots. He definitely was “parent” friendly. His classic Mr. Big Stuff, grabbed a sample from the classic Jean Knight track and modernized it so we would “wop” to it. At the same time, the video infused 3 generations of party goers to show what his goal was. Make music that generations would enjoy.

As the new jack swing era came about, he continued to drop hit after hit. Songs featuring famous models, in the videos for the ladies to enjoy to hard core tracks with Biggie Smalls and Busta Rhymes, he always appealed to the masses of fans. He was really at the beginning of the merger of the hip hop and R & B community becoming one community.

As the culture continued to evolve, there seemed to be less room for artist like Heavy D. so like most of us, we lost touch with the brother. But than came Twitter. In this world we can reconnect with whom ever we want. The record companies and networks don’t determine who we “follow”. He had just dropped an album that he was marketing and had a surprise appearance on this years BET Hip Hop Awards. A whole new generation was exposed to the Overweight Lover.

With his tweets, I would see the evolution of the man and it was what many of us probably expected. Youthful exuberance had evolved to that of a father and mentor. His last tweet simply had 2 words…

Brother…Heav, I’m sure I speak for many when I say, you’re spirit on Earth was a blessing. I hope that it will inspiring many young men to be emulate your class & style and ladies to require the men in their lives to live upright as you presented yourself.

One love brother…

Miguel is the host of Life Full Circle Radio Check him out with the entire crew. Nikkia Ganey with hot topics, Seshmi Robertson with Entertainment, Elton Gumbel with Sports and Alton Drew with the Politics365.com Politics segment. Join us this and every Wednesday night for the lively conversation by clicking HERE!