NOOOOO TRAIN AWARDS: A Look At The 2011 Soul Train Awards

The only reason I knew it was the 40th Anniversary of Soul Train last night at the Soul Train awards was the old footage they were showing on the stage, and a few celebrities saying, "I can't believe it has been 40 years.."

Well I cannot either. I can't believe that for a show that has been such a staple in not just African-American homes but a staple for all cultures in America, that was the best the executives at BET and Centric had to offer. Now to say I am overly critical is an understatement. Last night's award show was an insult to legacy of Soul Train and to the honorees that they chose to honor. Since there were so many misses last night. It might be easier for me to talk about the few hits that did occur before I get into the misses.

Soul Train Award High Points/Hits:
e
The Robin Thicke performance: Robin is following the legacy of Teena Marie and Lisa Stansfield. The only way you would not know this guy was a brotha was to see him live and you would see. Other than that, he is a soul crooner. He possessed a confidence that reminded me of Teena Marie that said, "You can't pigeonhole me into pop or country..I'm a SOUL singer." Having him sing on the award show gave the floundering ceremony a much needed boost!"

Jill Scott - Best Female Award: Soul Train got it right with this one. She is one of the best out there and she is truly an UnSung talent. She should have been asked to sing on the Gladys Knight tribute (more to come on that later)...

Anthony Hamilton - Not really sure what was up with the KFC Bucket on his head but he gave a soulful performance.

The Time or The Original 7. - Having all these guys back together on stage reminded us of what we miss in Funk, Soul and R&B. Concepts, entertainment, and fun. A fun performance. They still got it and LOVE, LOVE how they are able to conform to the time while staying true to their old school roots by developing a song called "#tredning" an omage to TWEEPS everywhere. Love it!

The Heavy D Tribute - Pay attention young people, this is what REAL Hip-Hop sounds like. Without, the legends you saw on that stage last night such as Whoodini, Kurtis Blow, Big Daddy Kane, and the late Heavy D, there would be no hip-hop today. This was when hip hop was fun! I don't know what its about today. I am still confused.

Valerie Simpson - What a pillar of strength! To accept that award on behalf of her late husband, Nick Ashford with such grace. It is about time these two got their just props. They have basically written every popular song in popular culture. Their legacy is truly underappreciated. Now, every year they will have their legacy remembered with The Ashford & Simpson songwriting award. NICE! Now for the honoree they chose this year....more to come in low points!

Cederic The Entertainer: Loved his hosting, he kept it clean but kept it funny.

LOW POINTS/WTH MOMENTS/& EPIC FAILS!:

Was Cee-Lo green paying tribute to Elton John, Elvis, or Frankie Avalon, the guardian angel in Greese? I was confused. And the taco meat on his chest....

The Gladys Knight tribute was awkward and insulting. The Pips concept was cute and original to have three R&B male singers give props to them, but then they ruined it by having TAMAR (not Toni) Braxton sing "Love Overboard". Does she even have an album? What hits does she have? I am confused by that. Why not have Jill Scott do a tribute. Where was Alicia Keys? Natalie Cole redeemed the tribute at the end but everything before it was an insult. And Gladys herself was trying to be a little too Mya Angelou and not Gladys last night. When she commented on the recent Harry Belafonte blunder of him going to sleep on the air and saying, "Do you ever think he is just tired from all the years of struggle..?" Come on Gladys, you know that is a complete stretch. Where were singers like Whitney, Chaka, Alicia, Mariah, and Jill Scott who was in the audience. You can have legends pay tribute to legends it is OK.

Lloyd and Miguel: Based off the audience reaction, they were just as confused as I was. Especially Miguel. What was that about? The tight pants? Maybe that is why he sings so high pitch. I hope he does not wear too many of those tight pants, he is gonna get jock itch and that is NEVER fun. Maybe that is why he looked so dazed last night. Lloyd's suit look like he got into a fight with a dust monster before he got on stage. Come on brotha. Take a cue from Eric Benet's fashion book.

Marsha Ambrosius: At the risk of sounding rude, and please forgive me, but come on. First off having her sing the tribute to Gladys after she botched the Patti tribute at the BET awards? I am so confused. And all of the long flowing gowns. I think they come from the Loretta Lynn or Dolly Parton collection. To say that it was doing too much was saying the least. And to give her the songwriting award named after Ashford & Simpson? Just a a suggestion Soul Train, I would in the future recommend that this be another tribute to a songwriter who has followed in the footsteps of the legendary couple such as Alicia Keys, Babyface, Jill Scott. Marsha Ambrosius has only been out a few years.

Mindless Behavior: Enough said!

The First Half of EWF Tribute: Miguel and whoever that girl was who was supposed to look like an EWF Angel? It was just creepy. EWF members did not look like they where to thrilled either. Lalah Hathaway, Eric Benet, Joe, and Robin Thicke saved that tribute.

Cutting of EWF: Just giving EWF two seconds to sing while the credits where coming on was a direct insult. After we were subjected to so much mind numbing and "Mindless Behavior" that was awful.

The Presenters: Now this award show is not the first in its history to have bad writing for the presenters. It was just awkward and uncomfortable. If I felt awkward and uncomfortable here, there is no telling what the presenters themselves and the audience members were feeling.

Reality Sucks! - All of the "Real Housewives". Why do we have to keep getting exposed to all of these fake celebrities? Who cares? Why do we keep giving them air time? I have had enough. Really lets stop giving them press. Let us focus on the ones who have talent and became famous for their hard work.

Lack of Celebrities: For it to be a 40th Anniversary Tribute where was all the stars who owe their careers to Soul Train? Where was Whitney, Janet, Mary J., Aretha, Stevie, and countless others? Were they not invited, just too busy? They could of least sent a video tribute with footage of a performance of theirs on soul train. Maybe a two hour show that focuses on this, would be a better idea. NO new singers who have NO IDEA of the history but just performers who owe their careers to Don Cornelius. More to come on this idea later.

All in all, on a scale of 1 to 10, I would give this show a 2. Their were a few performers and the host that saved this show from completely sinking like the Titanic but not by much. Last year's phenomenal show I guess proved to be a tough act to follow with those wonderful tributes to Anita Baker and The Isley Brothers and fabulous performances by Erykah Badu, R. Kelly, and Jazmine Sullivan. I hope they get it right next year. Soul Music and Soul Train like the UNCF is a terrible thing to waste. Get it right...please for the legacy of our musical history!!

CG

frankie beverly and maze (joy and pain)

Recently, I had the pleasure of seeing Frankie Beverly & Maze in concert. Let me tell you how terrific this concert was. Frankie Beverly who is 65 years young still has it. The show was great. I enjoyed every minute of it. Frankie connects with his audience like no other performer I have ever seen. Maze did all of their classics starting with "Laid Back Girl" and ending with an encore of "I Wanna Thank You". What a show. I especially enjoyed the song Joy & Pain.

For the first time, I really, really absorbed the lyrics to the song, which goes as follows:

Remember when you first found love how you felt so good
Kind that last forever more so you thought it would
Suddenly the things you see got you hurt so bad
How come the things that make us happy make us sad
Well it seems to me that

Joy and pain are like sunshine and rain
Joy and pain are like sunshine and rain

Love can be bitter love can be sweet
Sometimes devotion and sometimes deceit
The ones that you care for give you so much pain
Oh but it's alright there both one in the same
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/f/frankie_beverley_and_maze/joy_and_pain.html ]
Don't it seem we go through life going up and down
Seems the things that turn you on turn you around
Always hurting eachother if it ain't one thing its another
But when the world is down on you love's somewhere around
Well it seems to me that

Joy and pain are like sunshine and rain
Joy and pain are like sunshine and rain
Joy and pain are like sunshine and rain
Joy and pain are like sunshine and rain

Over and over you can be sure
There will be sorrow but you will endure
Where there's a flower there's the sun and the rain
Oh and it's wonderful there both one in the same

Joy and pain are like sunshine and rain
Joy and pain are like sunshine and rain
Joy and pain are like sunshine and rain
Joy and pain are like sunshine and rain

When I think of this song, I often think of my family and friends. In large families such as the one I have we often do go through highs and lows. It seems like no matter where you look, there is always some type of drama that will unfold. I love the second line of the second verse that Frankie delivers when he says "Always hurting each other, if it aint one thing its another.." How true that sentence is. It always seems like there is some type of drama that unfolds. However, where there is drama there is always some type of happy moment, whether it be a birthday party or monumental event such as a graduation or wedding.

I thank Maze for writing such a great song. It makes me long for days of good music. It seems as if Good music has fell by the wayside these days in favor of auto tunes, sex, and flavors of the month. I feel badly for the youth of today. Often when we here our music, we are taken back to that time frame, we think of where we were, we can name the year and we just reflect with happy or sad memories. Will our kids of today have those same memories? What happened? So as you listen to Joy & Pain think of the message that Frankie is trying to give to you. You will experience happiness and sad but in life, you will be stronger for both. What songs in your life evoke those memories for you?

CG2

Watering The Seeds.....

Yesterday, my cousin Myra invited me to bible study at her church. I went thinking I was just going to get a bible lesson. I was not expecting to be MOVED like I was. Words cannot express the transformation that I experienced. Pastor Wayne Cheney Jr preached a word from God that I knew was for me. Pastor talked abut stirring up the gifts inside of you. What are you doing with those gifts?

Pastor Cheney said something that was really as Oprah would call an "A-ha moment!"  He began to say that everything belongs to God including our talents. When we stand before God, we will not only be accountable for our salvation but for how we used our gifts. That was very deep for me. As you all know, I recently moved to California. The intent was to get focused on my writing career and get my book out there. Well, I have not really been doing that since I got here. I told myself  that " I was just trying to get settled." Part of that is true. I was trying to familiarize myself with the area, however I began to grown comfortable in my area. Pastor's word really made me realize that I was not utilizing my gifts and I felt such guilt and regret for not using the gifts that God blessed me with. I did not want to be at the throne of God and not doing my best work. How would I explain or justify that to him? This was my A-ha moment.

I thank God for using Pastor Wayne to speak to me on this. Since last night I have built my website, got the book manuscript back out, and researching publishers. I do not want to leave this earth knowing I did not do all I was called to do. Pastor also said something mind boggling. "Because God has not dealt with you, it sometimes creates a false sense of security." What I gather he means from that is that whether it is not being a good steward or not using your gifts, you will be held accountable for that at some point. So instead of being called out for not using my gifts, I want to be rewarded for my gifts. This also goes in a positive way as well because some have really worked on nurturing their gifts and talents and have not seen their promotion but just because God has not rewarded you yet does not mean it is not going happen.

This message was also another confirmation that I am walking in my gift, and that I alone am responsible for nurturing the seeds that God has planted in me. I cannot wait for others to make that happen for me, I have to do it myself. It is OK to ask for help, and receive the help but NOBODY is going to make it happen but me, I have to be willing to do the work. Like Mary J. Blige stated, "There are so many things that are used as vessels to get us to where we need to be in life." The prayer meeting last night was definitely a vessel to get me re-motivated to get back into the swing of things.

So as you are doing your tasks today, ask yourself are you nurturing the seeds that God has planted in you, or you allowing them to dry up and die. Are you being fruitful and multiplying those seeds? It is not too late. Remember, God has blessed us all with individual gifts The road may be hard, it may not always be easy, but anything worth having is never easy. So when you get weary and tired of what God has called you to do, lean on him and trust him and remember Philippians 1:6:
God has begun a good work in me. He will be able to bring into full completion.
In love, CG2.