Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his dream represent a multitude of values and principles to those who remember him. He was a peaceful uniter who stood up for the rights and liberties of African-Americans. And whether you focus on Dr. King’s message of non-violence or his efforts to bring social change, his legacy represents something good. Rappers are often painted with broad brush of negativity, so it may seem antithetical to state that MLK would be proud of any of today’s MCs. But if you take the following rappers into consideration, you may change your opinion. Lupe Fiasco “Stand up for freedom…” –Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Lupe is one of the few rappers today who is relevant and unafraid to address politics and social issues in his music. Even though Lupe Fiasco’s commentary can sometimes be received as controversial, he’s made music with substance. In addition, his ability to make commercially viable songs allows his songs with more depth reach a broader audience. In an era where it’s not common to merge hip-hop and politics, Lupe Fiasco isn’t afraid to stand up for what he believes in, just as Dr. King did. The King Dream Chorus And Holiday Crew: Where Are They Now? Wale “We shall overcome…” –Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Even though he’s from the mean streets of Washington, DC; the same city where Dr. King delivered his legendary “I Have A Dream” speech; Wale music doesn’t represent that life. He resisted the temptation to rap about the streets in order to acquire universal hood credibility, and the staying non-violent has worked well for him. The biggest hits of Wale’s career (“Lotus Flower Bomb” and “That Way”) are hip-hop love songs that have not diminished his credibility. Wale doesn’t rap about political or non-violent issues, but he overcame the effects of coming up in a harsh city. Martin Luther King Jr: “I Have A Dream” Speech [VIDEO] J. Cole “The content of [his] character…” –Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. There’s nothing controversial about J. Cole. He comes across a good dude who makes great music, while leaving the violence alone. J. Cole is a bright spot in today’s hip-hop, because he’s acclaimed by critics, respected by his peers, Grammy-nominated, and he makes hits. J. Cole deserves to be celebrated for his music, but also because he’s shown good character by channeling his energy into music instead of beef. 5 Things Martin Luther King Would Be Ashamed Of Jay-Z “The crooked places will be made straight…” –Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Jay-Z acquired fortune and fame by talking about his life as a drug dealer. But now he’s known for being one of the most important voices of this generation, and now, the proud father of Blue Ivy Carter. Jay-Z started off crooked and even engaged in battles with Nas and Mobb Deep’s Prodigy. However, Jay-Z has resolved his beefs and is now a respected artist and mogul living a straight life that includes him doing charitable work. Jay-Z hasn’t been perfect, but he’s proved that Dr. King was right when he stated that the crooked can go straight. How Gil Scott-Heron And Stevie Wonder Set Up Martin Luther King Day Diggy Simmons “All men are created equal…” –Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Diggy is an embodiment of Dr. King’s dream, in that he comes from a generation that is less color conscious than any previous generations. He’s aware of his Blackness, but doesn’t feel the need to appeal to any one race. Dr. King envisioned a world where people would not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. Diggy Simmons shows that this dream is already a reality for some.
‘Ghost Protocol,’ the fourth ‘M:I’ movie, made $134 million in 17 days. By Ryan J. Downey Tom Cruise in “Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol” Photo: Paramount Pictures Tom Cruise’s domination of the holidays continued as “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” remained the #1 movie at the box office, taking in $31.3 million over the New Year’s weekend. The fourth entry in the action franchise has made an estimated $134 million in just 17 days, which is about what “Mission: Impossible III” made during its entire theatrical run. “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows” was the runner-up in the box office race, collecting $22.1 million during its second weekend in theaters for $132.1 million total. Robert Downey Jr.’s second outing as the famous detective of classic literature carried an estimated production budget of $90 million. “Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked,” the third movie in the series, came in third on the New Year’s box office scorecard. “Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked” jumped 45 percent from last weekend with $18.3 million for a $94.6 million total, which is about $45 million behind where the first “Alvin and the Chipmunks” stood at the same point in its run. Steven Spielberg’s “War Horse” was in a close race for the #4 spot with David Fincher’s “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.” “War Horse” took in an estimated $16.4 million (for a $42.9 million total) while “Dragon Tattoo” earned another $16.8 million, which was a 16 percent increase from the weekend before. The first American adaptation of the popular Swedish novel has made a total of $57.1 million. Filmmaker Cameron Crowe’s “We Bought a Zoo” was #5 with $14.3 million for a $41.8 million total. Garry Marshall’s critically reviled ensemble rom-com “New Year’s Eve” doubled its previous weekend, thanks no doubt to the arrival of the holiday for which it’s named. The follow-up to “Valentine’s Day” has made just $46.4 million since its release, however, and 93 percent of film critics panned the flick, according to film review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes. Looking back at the 2011 box office, the final “Harry Potter” film was #1 overall with its $381 million gross. “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” was just behind with $352.3 million. Rounding out the top five were “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1” ($275.4 million), “The Hangover Part II” ($254.4 million) and “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” ($241 million). Check out everything we’ve got on “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: ‘Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol’
“He’s one of the only honest politicians left,” one voter says of Dr. Paul. By Gil Kaufman, with reporting by Andrew Jenks Ron Paul meets with supporters in Iowa Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images DES MOINES, IOWA — There’s a very good reason that long-serving Texas Congressman and Tea Party Godfather Ron Paul has rocketed up the ranks in this crucial early caucus state: passion. Specifically, the kind of wide-eyed enthusiasm and dedication he inspires in young first-time caucusers like Carl Bisenius and his friends. “I’ve made my decision and I’m going to vote for Ron Paul,” said Bisenius, 19, of neighboring Ankeny, Iowa. “Mostly because he seems the most honest. He’s got the best record out of all of them and I really agree with everything he says.” Bisenius said he’s been absorbing as much information as he can about the Republicans vying for the nomination while volunteering at a Paul call center in his hometown and he’s convinced that the libertarian fire starter is the one who can beat President Obama. “A lot of people are sick of politicians lying all the time, and he’s one of the only honest politicians left,” said Bisenius. As he huddled around a table on Sunday night at Mullet’s, a beer and burgers joint in the shadow of the state capitol in downtown Des Moines, Bisenius’ confidence was bolstered by some cold, hard facts from friend Jay Fieser, 20, of Iowa City. A political science major the University of Iowa, Fieser said he paid “a bit” of attention to the 2008 election in which Paul also ran and has since learned enough about early 20th century foreign policy that he believes Rep. Paul is the man for the job. “I think it would be interesting to see the United States going back to some kind of policies like that … ending the policing of the world,” said Fieser about Paul’s isolationist arguments. As he spoke, an endless barrage of commercials from candidates Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry flashed by on the bar’s flat screen TVs as the top candidates made a final, furious push to woo Hawkeye State voters. “His foreign policy is what really drew me to him … I don’t like the two-party system here and he doesn’t seem heavily invested in the Republican Party and they don’t seem to like him that much. People are saying if he gets elected there will be a reshuffling of the parties and I’d like to see that.” Paul has drawn attention for a number of his beliefs, inlcuding not intervening in international conflicts, voting against the Iraq war, withdrawing from the United Nations, rejecting amnesty for illegal aliens and eliminating such federal government agencies as the Departments of Education, Energy, Commerce and IRS. And, in some ways, Fieser said it is precisely because the rank-and-file of the GOP and the mainstream media have ignored or ridiculed Dr. Paul that he is so interested in the former obstetrician’s views. “People are kind of sick of what’s been going on in Washington for so long … I think they’re really staring to look at Ron Paul because of that,” he said. It is one of Paul’s more radical ideas — returning the U.S. to the gold standard — that caught the eye of first-time caucuser Daniel Swenson, 18. “He seems to be the really only candidate that his voting record reflects his policies and principles he stands for. That’s what really draws me to him,” he said, citing Paul’s claims that returning to the standard the country abandoned in 1933 in order to emerge from the Great Depression could help turn around our current economic crisis. Like his friends, Danielson said he planned to do his part in the days leading up to Tuesday’s vote by talking to his family and other undecided voters about Paul’s policies and trying to sway them to cast a vote for the second-time presidential candidate. MTV is on the scene in Iowa! Head to Iowa.MTV.com for all our Iowa caucus coverage , and stick with PowerOf12.org throughout the presidential election season to follow Andrew Jenks on the campaign trail. Related Videos Barnstorming The Iowa Caucus With Andrew Jenks
“Love & Hip Hop’s” newest cast member Erica Mena is upset with VH1 for showing the video of her fight with fellow co-star/model Kimbella Vanderhee. Erica says that the fight has ruined her modeling career and the editing was fixed to make Kimbella look innocent! Erica tells TMZ , the vicious, glass-smashing, hair-pulling cat fight between her and Kimbella Vanderhee has torpedoed her modeling career, and it’s all VH1′s fault. In case you missed it, Kimbella throws a champagne glass at Erica after Erica accuses her of cheapening the video vixen industry by agreeing to work for a pittance. Erica responds by grabbing Kimbella’s hair and well…just watch the clip:
L.A. Clippers forward Blake Griffin shares some of his workout secrets responsible for making him such a formidable opponent on the court and how he rises above the competition. On maintaining his energy level… “Energy is something you can control. In everything you do, you’re going to face people more talented than you. I set myself apart by bringing more energy than they do.” His dunking skills… “I constantly heard that all I do is dunk…And I can understand it. There aren’t SportsCenter clips of me shooting 15-footers.” His most proud game from last season against the Pacers… “Most of my baskets came from midrange jumpers…I was the finesse player people said I couldn’t be. I’m excited to show how I’ve added to that part of my game.” How he recovers from injury… “There were days when I didn’t feel like going through the same routine…But I learned that if you’re positive, any situation can be a chance to improve yourself.” The importance of being a team player… “I recently got to talk to Magic Johnson…He said he used to tell individual teammates, ‘Come in before practice and work with me.’ He emphasized that being a leader isn’t about just pushing yourself. It’s also about motivating teammates.” The Jan/Feb 2012 issue of Men’s Health Magazine is on newsstands now.
This is going to be hard to hear, but the truth is, for those of us working to combat the aging process, sugar is a formidable enemy. I know it tastes really good and we’re conditioned to love it, but unfortunately, the sweet stuff pillages our skin’s elasticity . What’s even worse is that pigging out on sugar can make us deathly ill and dangerously fat. Sorry folks, but we’ve had our fun fling with sugar; time to kick it to the curb. Let’s be real though, most of us (myself included) will never be able to get over sugar entirely. We’re going to creep back to it, ’cause the stuff is just so good. But, we really have to learn to keep it to minimum if we care about our health and youth. Here’s why: Sugars (ALL sugars, even natural sweeteners like agave, honey, and maple syrup) raise our blood glucose level. Natural sugars are a little better for us, because they raise it less, or more slowly, and they do contain some nutrients (white sugar has none), but, all sugars raise the blood sugar level and that is a problem… According to anti-aging specialist Dr. Nicolas Perricone, a spike in our blood sugar level causes inflammation on a cellular level, which causes our skin to wrinkle. Did he say wrinkle ? Sugar gives us wrinkles? Yes, it does . Time for us to drop the donuts. Back away from the Krispy Kreme. Dr. Perricone is hardly alone in his assertion about sugar and wrinkles. Because I read books and articles on anti-aging as frequently as most of us check Facebook and Twitter, I know that many of the anti-aging doctors including Dr. Mehmet Oz, Dr. Howard Murad, Dr. Jessica Wu and Dr. Adrienne Denese advise us to avoid sugar. Dr. Wu, a Beverly Hills dermatologist, says: “Glucose actually eats away at your skin’s collagen and elastin .” The horror. Here’s the science behind the claim: When our blood sugar spikes quickly and repeatedly, the sugar attaches to the proteins (collagen and elastin) in our skin, rendering them stiff and inflexible . This process is called “glycation.” These harmful sugar molecules form compounds called “advanced glycation end-products,” or AGEs. As these “AGEs” accumulate they damage adjacent proteins, which leads to sagging skin, and wrinkles. This is sad news for those of us who just can’t go without something sweet. I’m sorry, but life is not worth living without my daily dark chocolate! (It’s okay, we can indulge in a little .) But, if you’re serious about staying young-looking, even as you move into middle-age, you have got to consider cutting back your sugar intake considerably. Now, you might be saying some of the same things I said myself at first: “I’m not gonna worry about this. I have good genes. My mother ate sugar and she still looks good. Black don’t crack.” I hear you. If wrinkles aren’t enough to get you off the sweet stuff, though, I’ve got more for you and the news gets worse. In April of 2011, The New York Times published an article called “Is Sugar Toxic?” written by Gary Taubes. The article discussed the work of a hormone specialist, Dr. Robert Lustig, who presented a lecture in 2009 called “Sugar: The Bitter Truth,” which I highly recommend. You can find it on Youtube. Lustig’s research concludes that sugar is, indeed, toxic and that it is not only aging us , it’s making us sick and fat . His evidence, which includes statistics on diabetes and obesity levels since the “low fat” craze began, is compelling. Processed “fat free” foods generally contain more sugar , which helps make them taste better after all the delicious fat has been removed. Sugar and its evil twin High Fructose Corn Syrup , which is ubiquitous in processed foods and beverages, is not just bad for us; according to Lustig, it’s a POISON akin to alcohol and cigarettes. I knew that too much sugar could contribute to diabetes, but Lustig’s research found that sugar consumption also leads to heart disease, hypertension and many common cancers as well. Astonishing, isn’t it? If I didn’t know people who’ve had heart disease, hypertension and cancer I might be disinclined to believe this. But knowing the dietary habits of friends and family who have been victims of these conditions makes me less skeptical. Each of them ate sugar with abandon. Another surprising and disheartening thing I learned via Lustig is that fruit juice isn’t as good for us as we thought. Whole fruit is much better than juice, because whole fruit contains fiber which helps keep it from suddenly spiking our blood sugar level. Fruit juice has a lot of sugar, with no fiber to mitigate it. Too much of it can raise the blood glucose level as fast as regular sugar. Even if you aren’t convinced of the correlation between sugar and diseases, the fact that it speeds up the aging process has been accepted in the anti-aging community well before Lustig’s 2009 lecture. Doctors overwhelmingly agree that sugar and HFCS cause inflammation and inflammation is an enemy to our skin. Omitting sugar from our diets entirely is probably never going to happen, because even fruits, vegetables and whole grains turn to glucose (the type of sugar that fuels glycation) when digested. And we’re never giving up chocolate, right? Of course not. But we can cut back. An article in Prevention, written by Karen Repinski recommends the following guidelines: “Keep added sugar to no more than 10% of total calories. If you’re a 45-year-old woman of average height (5-foot-4), that’s 160 calories (or 10 teaspoons) from added sugar–about the number in one 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola or six Hershey’s Kisses. By comparison, the average American consumes 31 teaspoons per day of added sugar, or the equivalent of 465 calories.” So, if you’re among those who can’t live without regular sugar, follow her guidelines. Processed sugar doesn’t do it for me, because it’s got no health benefits at all, but I do like honey, maple syrup and agave, so I’m trying to stick to no more than 160 calories per day from those. I also recommend Stevia , which is a natural sweetner (made from a plant) that doesn’t contain harmful chemicals. Stevia has very few calories and it’s recommend by Dr. Wu, author of Feed Your Face, and also by by Dr. Howard Murad, author of The Water Secret . Other than Stevia, most anti-aging specialists do not recommend artificial sweeteners, like Equal, because the chemicals in them cause us to crave sweets. Here are some recommendations: 1. Read labels and check for sugar in prepared foods. Don’t eat foods that contain high fructose corn syrup . This is easier said than done, because it’s in so many things, but if you eat fewer processed foods and more whole foods, you can avoid it. 2. Consider omitting sodas from your diet. Instead drink water, carbonated water with a splash of lemon or lime, tea, or coconut water. 3. Stop adding processed sugar to food and beverages. Replace it with honey, agave or maple syrup, but use the least amount your taste buds will allow. 4. Drink less fruit juice (which is all sugar, no fiber) and eat the whole fruit instead. Or make smoothies from low sugar fruits, like strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. 5. Eat fewer high glycemic carbohydrates like white flour, white rice and pasta. Instead, eat whole grains, like brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa or whole wheat pasta. Sorry to have been the bearer of bad news. The fact that sugar is so damaging to us is hard to accept. Sugar has comforted us throughout our lives and it’s immensely difficult to revise our view of it and to curb our habit of consuming it without worry. Still, knowledge is power and it is empowering to know the consequences of what we feed ourselves. That said, I’m not suggesting that we live joyless, abstemious lives never eating anything fun and sweet. Just cut back and eat less sugar. You know you’ll be better off if you do, even if you’d rather not hear it. Wishing you good health and great beauty. For many more anti-aging tips, please check out my book, VIBRATING YOUTH available on Amazon in paperback or as an ebook. And please follow me on twitter @Vibratingyouth and on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vibrating-Youth/291243730912385 www.vibratingyouth.com The Top Foods That Will Fight Dry Skin, Low Immunity & More This Winter! How To Beat The Mid-Afternoon Energy Slump
Kanye West may be spending time praising Mannie Fresh but Wutang Clan’s The RZA has some kind words for Yeezy. During one of those extensive Red Bull Music Academy lectures The RZA discussed his work with Kanye West on My Dark Twisted Fantasy and what he observed about his work ethic. “I spent two weeks with him in Hawaii working on his album, ” he began.” And let me tell you what this young man does. They get up every morning and have breakfast together, him and his whole crew. They talk about yesterday, the next day and the present…how to make their music better. Then they exercise together, focus and get their energy up. Then they go do some charity work…good Karma. Then he goes to the studio from 4pm to 4am, 12 hours. Then wake up and do it again the next day…the way everything happened was focused energy and I never saw that from a rapper before.” [RBMA] RZA: de trabajar con Kanye West from Extended Play on Vimeo . (spotted @ HipHopDX ) RELATED POSTS: RZA Challenges Jay-Z To a Chess Match RZA Joins Cast Of Django Unchained Kanye West On Why Mannie Fresh Is Best Producer
Nicole Scherzinger puts last week’s drama behind her to focus on Josh Krajcik and her results-show performance. By Jim Cantiello Rachel Crow performs on “X Factor” Photo: FOX MTV News’ own Jim Cantiello is exclusively covering “The X Factor” rehearsals. Read on for his fly-on-the-wall backstage report! LOS ANGELES — One week after one of the most dramatic eliminations in reality-TV history, the energy on the “X Factor” set is still uneasy. Rachel Crow’s sunny presence is noticeably absent from backstage, with the remaining four contestants taking the semifinals deadly serious. The $5 million contract is on everyone’s minds, and they’re not letting anything distract them — not even Rachel’s shocking exit . Meanwhile, the judge who facilitated Rachel’s booting, Nicole Scherzinger, was still visibly upset days after the results show. Her main-show interview, normally shot right outside the stage doors, was relocated to a quiet third-floor area for extra privacy. She couldn’t even talk about the incident in complete sentences until Tuesday. But now she’s focused on making her remaining contestant, Josh Krajcik, the first U.S. “X Factor” winner, as well as prepping a brand-new single she’ll be debuting live on Thursday night’s results show. The million-dollar question: Will the audience that booed Nicole a week ago be receptive to a performance? We’ll know soon enough! Nicole doesn’t have to stress about any more hairy decisions. From here on out, the judges have zero voting power. It’s just America’s vote, and the contestants are nervous that they won’t have their mentors in their corner when the results are revealed. Adding to the stress: a mystery bug that’s making its way around the crew. Both Chris Rene and Marcus Canty have suffered through the X-virus in previous weeks. Now the show’s last remaining female, Melanie Amaro, has been floored with it. She was more than 30 minutes late to press interviews on Monday and she barely got through her interviews with the main show, yet when it was time to hit the stage for rehearsal, you’d never know she was battling a bug. Musically, expect some exciting things from all four contestants. Chris Rene is trying his hand at a new instrument. Josh is determined to put his unique stamp on a song we’ve all heard on reality singing competitions several times before. Despite being in the bottom two three weeks in a row, Marcus refuses to give up and is rehearsing harder than ever. And Melanie has been practicing a power note that may shatter your windows. And finally, “The X Factor” was able to secure private dressing rooms for the remaining four contenders, but the show won’t let their egos get too big. After two days, they had to give them up for another production. The Cowell giveth and the Cowell taketh away. Catch Jim on “The X Factor Pepsi Preshow Live,” streaming at 7 p.m. ET tonight on TheXFactorUSA.com !
Waka Flocka Flame came through and shut down the 29th Annual Los Magnificos Car Show in Houston Sunday night! Check out the pics below and his interview with our affiliate station, 97.9 The Box, as they discuss the reason for his retirement announcement, his energy into his label Brick Squad Monopoly, and if he will be starring in the Juice remake. Click HERE for the full interview. RELATED POSTS: Stripper Falls Off Pole To Round Of Applause By @DJBillBlack [VIDEO] Brick Squad Affiliate Who Beefed On World Star Murdered In L.A. [VIDEO] Waka Flocka Quitting Rap After This Year?! Gucci Calls Waka Flocka & DJ Drama From Jail! [EXCLUSIVE]
Actor and environmental activist Mark Ruffalo explains how the controversial practice of hydro-fracking threatens our health and that of our planet. The conversation with Deepak investigates how government policy has exempted fracking from the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, permitting the natural gas industry to inject hazardous chemicals and millions of gallons of water deep into the earth. Mark hopes to inspire millions to join the movement to protect our water. and shift to a renewable energy economy. http://www.youtube.com/v/M0EXnXg2xtQ?version=3&f=videos&app=youtube_gdata Link: Deepak Chopra and Mark Ruffalo: Stop Fracking: Protect Water, Our Most Vital Resource
