Yasmin Shiraz

Today I visited a suburban school in Northern, Virginia to talk about my career as an author / filmmaker. I showed the students the six books that I’ve written and I even showed them the movie poster to my first film, Can She Be Saved? As an extra bonus (in case they didn’t like my books)–I brought a old copy of my magazine, Mad Rhythms. They listened to me talk about my books and my film, but they were most excited when I told them that I had interviewed Jay-Z, been to Diddy’s house in the Hamptons and they were even more excited when I told them that I had gone to Lil’ Wayne’s 16th Birthday party. Huh? These young people were in 1st through 5th grade! They were so excited when I mentioned the name “Lil Wayne.”

I guess in my mind, I love music so much, I think that its a language that is spoken only to me, but the reality is that music is a universal language that is spoken to all people. When I mentioned to the young people that I had interviewed Jay-Z, there were all sorts of “wow”s and sighs in the room. I knew Jay-Z was really, really hot with Hard Knock Life, but is he still that hot? Apparently. That was something that surprised me today.

I had a great time inspiring and talking to young people about my career as a writer, author, filmmaker. I love it so much that it never feels like work.

In the spirit of the end of the year, I’ve decided to do a series 0f 2009 9 lists. The first being this one: The 9 Most Pathetic News Stories of 2009. I read a lot of blogs, new sites, newspapers, magazines and the like. So, I feel that I have a good grasp of what has been out there during 2009. If you think I’ve missed a pathetic news story, let me know. Let’s add it to the list.  I’m putting these stories in no specific order. Let’s agree that they’re all mutually pathetic.

1. Balloon Boy & his parents! This story was really pathetic. No one should be in search of the kind of publicity which sends out the message that your own child is in danger. I don’t care how bad you want to get your own reality show.
2. Congressman Wilson yelling out while Obama is addressing congress. Since when has yelling at the president been acceptable? Not since I’ve been an American. Congressman Wilson=pathetic.
3. The Salahi’s crashing Obama’s first state dinner. Some people will do anything to embarrass the president and therefore they’re pathetic.
4. Tiger Woods having 10+ mistresses but not telling his wife before the National Enquirer did so. Come on, if you want to have a bunch of mistresses, let your wife know. Who needs the public embarrassment and humiliation? Tiger’s marital infidelities & lack of honesty=pathetic.
5. Shaquille O’neal banging Gilbert Arenas’s fiance’ and sending naughty text messages as proof. Of all the women in the world to choose as a side piece, try not to select another NBA player’s fiance cause if you do its PATHETIC! I won’t even discuss the nature of the text messages. I’ll leave that to my girl Natasha at www.theybf.com But I will say that Shaq was still married to the beautiful Shaunie who is pictured on the right while all of this was going down in 2009!
6. The 39 year old Female Boy Scout Leader who had sex with a 15 year old member of her group. Lady, you are the leader, act like it. Having sex with a 15 year old and you’re 39 is definitely pathetic.
7. Jon Gosselin’s pre-divorce girlfriends and dating habits. Frankly, I wasn’t into Jon and Kate plus 8 so I definitely wasn’t hearing Jon – Kate plus the other chickenheads. Flaunting girlfriends prior to a divorce when your marriage made you popular is PATHETIC.
8. Because I love hip hop, I must say Beanie Sigel dissing Jay-Z now that he’s signed to G-Unit is pathetic in a major way.
9. Bad Butt pad stories! Why am I constantly seeing reports of female celebrities wearing butt pads? And worse, the butt pads look like butt pads, they don’t even look real. So here’s some advice: Either get some butt injections or sit down somewhere. I’m am so tired of bad butt pad stories!

Which pathetic 2009 story did I miss? Leave a comment and let me know!

As some of you know, former Jay-Z protege, Beanie Sigel, is dissing Jay-Z with a song entitled, “How I Can Kill Jigga Man.” I swear there was absolutely NO CREATIVITY involved in this track. It was like Beans said, “What can I write to shock everyone?” Two minutes passed. Then he said, “Oh, I know, I’ll say, ‘I’ll kill him on a record.’ Yeah, that’s it. That’ll get lots of people to take notice and buy my album.”

Beans looks like the worst kind of traitor /Judas with this record. In the Roc-A-Fella “Hard Knock Life” days, Beans couldn’t get enough of Jay-Z. Now that he’s out of lockdown and signed to 50 Cent he writes a song, “How I Can Kill Jigga Man” ? Seriously. This song is weeeeeeaaaaakkkkkk.

I like music, I like creative art forms. But when people are really just trying to get stuff started, that’s the worst kind of artistry. It lacks genuine creativity! I covered hip hop when Biggie and Tupac were both alive. So I have no love for anyone who writes a song about killing somebody. That’s some BS.

I spoke out against the East Coast/ West Coast beef and I’m speaking up now. I encourage everyone who reads this blog not to support an artist who IRRESPONSIBLY puts lyrics out that promote death to another artist.

It is what it is. I’ve said it. Feel free to comment.

In case you missed it, here’s Jay-Z and Alicia performing at the AMA’s last night. The opening was a different twist.

I personally find it trite when people come up and then diss the people who helped them. I think some things are better left unsaid. Being the music lover that I am, my ears perked up when I first heard about Beanie Sigel dissing Jay-Z. But then again, my interest died down on the story because I wouldn’t know who Beanie Sigel was if Roc-A-Fella hadn’t signed him. Its such a bore to cry over spilled milk. But anyway, here’s what Jay-Z had to say about Beans….

Jay-Z answers Beanie Sigel from la rue du hiphop.com on Vimeo.

On a final note I’d like to say: Be careful who you invite into your camp. Be mindful of who you choose as friends. If they’re negative at their core, they will use that negativity to bring you down.