House Nigs for Sale: Why Ann Coulter brags "Our Blacks are So Much Better Than Their Blacks"

I've oftentimes described myself as a "recovering Black Republican"...not trying to make lite of those who truly struggle with some type of addiction. But it is very difficult to not share the fiscally conservative values that the party has been often known for and associated with. The fact is since I was of voting age, I'd been a card carrying member of the Republican Party. But not any longer.

As an entrepreneur and an intellectual, it only made sense to me. The Republican Party of Ronald Reagan and Jack Kemp was about bootstrapping, preserving, conserving and living the American Dream. If the Republican Party was the party of the "rich", I definitely wanted in.

Even with all of the talk of fiscal conservatism and less taxes, others had agendas that did not include all Americans. Let's be real. As a Black Republican, I was far from clueless. Everyone in the party wasn't there for the same cause. Nor did they care about my vote or voice.

In the first election of  George W. Bush, I saw first hand how dirty the GOP was and how they would use anyone and anything to win at all cost. This was not the same value system that I had bought into. It became clear to me that the GOP had gone B-A-D.

In the 2004 Presidential Election, when a number of prominent Black Ministers sold the souls of their congregations to the GOP in exchange for Faith Based Initiatives (money coming from the Bush White House that Black Pastors used to fund different "ministries" within their churches at tax payers expense), I was deeply sadden and livid all at the same time.

The GOP has oftentimes been a place for racist whites to "hide" in plain sight. But I am of the opinion that the Republican Party is no longer just a place to cover up racist beliefs cloaked in christian conservatism, but is also now a "breeding ground" for overall social hatred, overt racism and any other right leaning extremism you can imagine. All garden variety hatred is condoned and welcomed.

A number of Black Ministers had their hands in the cookie jar of free money coming from the Bush White House. Each one preaching louder than the other. Some leading anti-gay so called "pro-marriage" marches making sure they were seen in the news (all while having  gay sex with teenage boys themselves & stealing the church blind, but I digress). Maybe these are the "blacks" Ann Coulter is referring to in her foolish comments.

In 2004 as the election approached, Gays & Lesbians became the open target of Republican hatred.  Sunday upon Sunday, Black christian conservatives had the fear of God put in them concerning Gay Rights and so called "Gay Marriage". It was this carefully orchestrated dog and pony show that caused Black Conservatives to provide the "tipping point" for a Republican win that re-elected George W. Bush to four more disgusting years. Enough Blacks bought into the notion that George W. Bush was God's choice....and it would be so displeasing if you did not vote for him. And a vote for John Kerry was a vote for the devil himself. Foolish "blacks" the party has no other use for you.  Tossed aside after use and only to be picked up again in 2011 when the party needs your help in "defeating" the President.

Arch Conservatives like Ann Coulter have absolutely no hesitation in making ignorant ass comments like "our Black are better their their Blacks". Because she is speaking from the heart of the GOP. Black Republicans like Herman Cain are seen as nothing more than House Niggas. Doing the bidding of a determined pro-white class within the party. A pro-white class that will use these same "blacks" as casualties of an undeclared race war.

Herman Cain

In the context of what Ann Coulter said, I agree in some sense....many Black conservatives tend to be "thinkers" and achievers. Some too busy achieving and ass kissing to even realize they are pawns in a dangerous political game. As oppose to the perceived lazy and welfare mentality of Black Democrats (a stereotype that must be addressed). So "better" may not be the proper choice of words. But Ann Coulter is seen as a racist bitch, so therefore; she will not get a pass from me. She meant nothing well by her comments.

Ann Coulter and The Republican Party did not plan for nor did they expect a "Barack Obama". Obama changed the Black Democrat game. An actual Black Democratic Presidential Candidate that did not come from the old Civil Rights regime. And a Bi-Racial Black intellectual, who was not the puppet of the GOP. How did the Democrats get so blessed? Maybe God just don't like ugly. After all what IS the Bush legacy, the end result of "their Blacks" votes? If you turn Cain's 9-9-9 plan upside down...you get 666. Hmm that's no accident.

I respect Herman Cain. I read his autobiography long before his run for any political office. And I listen to his talk show produced here in Atlanta. But I am of the never to be humbled opinion that Herman Cain needs to sit his ass down. If Herman Cain ran on a serious platform and wasn't so busy attacking the President, he'd come across more sincere. But it is obvious that he is loud talking and grandstanding all while lining his pockets in a feeble-minded strategy to split the "Black conservative vote" yet again in hopes of giving room for one of the "real GOP" candidates to possibly win. How stupid can "their blacks" be. Stop being a fool for foolishness. God IS trying to tell you something for real this time!

TV Imitates Life So Stop Hating On Tyler Perry!

The following is my response to all of the hateration being thrown at Tyler Perry. Someone suggested the tv show "Meet the Browns", Produced by Perry, is "cooning" at its best and that watching the show made you ashamed to be an "African American", a term I dislike to begin with for a myriad of reasons, but I digress. Here's my uncut response to the facebook comment:

I happen to think Meet the Brown's is funny as heck. It's "one" of my fave tv shows. Now, if you want to talk about the real things that should make us cringe...talk about the wide spread down low syndrome and the alarming rate of HIV & AIDS in our community as a result. Be ashamed of the condition of our people as a whole and the ignorance that runs amuck. Be disgraced by the crime and the pathology of criminal behavior that permeates Black men of all socioeconomic levels. Lower your head in shame as we fail to keep up intellectually and economically with whites, reds and browns. Be ashamed of our children who lack discipline, proper parental guidiance and a future that looks bleek. Be bashful about us not even having the decency to open our mouths and speak to one another. Be upset about us being the only species on the planet that refuses to do business with our community. Hide your face knowing that we are always looking to get over, get a hook up or take a short cut in every aspect of our lives. How can you be proud of any damn thing going on in the Black community as a whole other than the few exceptions to the rule. Be outraged that the only thing you see on tv is the same regurgitated Black Actors who boot lick and cow tow their way through Hollywood. How about being appalled at the lack of a wide spread massive Black Hollywood where various perspectives including Tyler Perry's can be widely express. Be pissed at yourself for not spending 80% of your disposable income in the Black community especially living in the Black mecca (Atlanta) which I've watched become a black mess over the last decade.Tyler Perry employs Black people in mass. Tyler Perry hires and gives consistent high paying opportunities to Black above the line and below the line talent unlike anyone else in America including my girl Oprah. Tyler Perry is one man. One perspective and does a lot of good. If his characters makes anyone hold their head down in shame then the joke is really on that person. Obviously you know there is some disgraceful truth staring you right in the face. Otherwise we could freely laugh at ourselves like all other cultures and races do. But because coonery is synonymous to much of which we know is black, we have reason to be concerned. But I digress. What you "gone do" about these truths.....complain then go back to scratching our asses and concerning ourselves with trying to get mines. Dr.King is rolling over in his grave knowing he died for us (then we consciously decide that the back of the bus is more comfortable). That the bottom of the crab barrel is safer. That the bottom of academics, science, medicine, global wealth is more preferred. We have succeeded at failing as a race of people and everyone wants to blame the next negroe instead of taking responsibility for our individual contribution in this madness. See Mr.Brown, Cora, Will, Sasha, Ms.Edna and the Colonel are real.. too damn real....so real that the shit is funny. Gotta laugh to keep from crying. 

Google Tools Good For Urban Start Ups

If you have entrepreneurial dreams, they don't necessarily have to break the bank. Many people are afraid to start a business or live their dreams because of the capital it takes to get going. Well, Google has some great new tools that could come in handy for growing companies. Especially if the budget is zero. Most (if not all) are free! Some have been around for a while, many are newly acquired or created.  Truth is Google has 90+ products at last count in their offerings that can give you an edge in communication as well as business. As the old adage goes, some of the best things in life are indeed free. Hope you find this listing useful to your cause:

List Of Google Products, Services, Tools

1. Google Search & it’s features - Google search is the most popular search engine on the Web.
2. Android – Android is a software stack for mobile devices that includes an operating system , middleware and key applications.
3. Blogger - A free blog publishing tool for easily sharing your thoughts with the world.
4. FeedBurner – Allows bloggers and podcasters to manage their RSS feeds.
5. Google Ad Planner – A free media planning tool that can help you identify websites your audience is likely to visit so you can make better-informed advertising decisions.
6. Google AdSense – Place contextual Google ads on your site – and earn money.
7. Google AdWords - Advertise online and pay only when people click on your ad.
8. Google Affiliate Network (DoubleClick) - Full-service online marketing company specializing in pay-for-performance media.
9. Google Alerts - Google Alerts are email updates of the latest relevant Google results (web, news, etc.) based on your choice of query or topic.
10. Google Analytics (Urchin) - Google Analytics makes it easy to improve your results online.
11. Google Apps - Software-as-a-service for business email, information sharing and security.
12. Google Base - Google Base is a place where you can easily submit all types of online and offline content.
13. Google Blog Search - Blog Search is Google search technology focused on blogs.
14. Google Bookmarks - Google Bookmarks is an online service that lets you save your favorite sites and attach labels and comments.
15. Google Book Search – Search and preview millions of books from libraries and publishers worldwide.
16. Google Buzz – Start conversations about the things you find interesting. Share updates, photos , videos and more with your friends.
17. Google Calendar - Keep track of all your life’s important events – birthdays, reunions, little league games, doctor’s appointments – all in one place.
18. Google Checkout - Buy from stores across the web and track all your orders and shipping in one place.
19. Google Chrome - A browser that combines a minimal design with sophisticated technology to make the web faster, safer, and easier.
20. Google Chromium – The Chromium projects include Chromium and Chromium OS, the open-source projects behind the Google Chrome browser and Google Chrome OS, respectively.
21. Google Code - Code is for external developers interested in Google related development.
22. Google Contacts – Similar to an online address book, the Contact Manager gives you easy access to the people you want to reach.
23. Google Custom Search Engine & Google Subscribed Links – With Google Custom Search Engine and Subscribed Links, you can create a search engine tailored to your needs and lets you create custom search results that users can add to their Google search pages.
24. Google Dashboard – Google Dashboard offers a simple view into the data associated with your Google Account.
25. Google Desktop - Search your computer as easily as you search the web with Google.
26. Google Dictionary - Free online dictionary.
27. Google Directory - The web organized by topic into categories.
28. Google Documents – Free web-based word processor and spreadsheet, which allow you share and collaborate online.
29. Google Earth & Google Mars - Offers maps and satellite images for complex or pinpointed regional searches.
30. Google Fast Flip - Read news fast.
31. Google Finance - Offers a broad range of information about stocks, mutual funds, and companies.
32. Google Fusion Tables – Share and discuss your data online.
33. Google Friend Connect – Instantly awakens and strengthens the community that visits your site by enriching it with social features.
34. Google Gears - A Firefox and Internet Explorer extension that allows to navigate on compatible websites offline and synchronize when going back online.

35. Google Grants – In-kind advertising for non-profit organizations.

36. Google Groups - Where groups of people have discussions about common interests.
37. Google Health - Puts you in charge of your health information.
38. Google Image Search & Similar Images - The most comprehensive image search on the web. Google Search Images allows you to search for images using pictures rather than words.
39. Google In Quotes – Allows you to find quotes from stories linked to from Google News.
40. Google Knol - Knol makes it free and easy to create, collaborate on, and publish credible web content.
41. Google Latitude - See where your friends are on a map.
42. Google Local Business Center - If you are a business owner Claim your business listing today and let customers find you online!
43. Google Mail (Gmail) - Gmail is a new kind of webmail, built on the idea that email can be more intuitive, efficient, and useful.
44. Google Maps & Google Map Maker - Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions. With Map Maker you can edit the map in more than a hundred countries and watch your edits go into Google Maps.
45. Google Mars – Provides a visible imagery view, like Google Moon, as well as infrared imagery and shaded relief (elevation) of the planet Mars.
46. Google Mobile - Upgrade your phone with free Google products.
47. Google Moderator - A tool that allows distributed communities to submit and vote on questions for talks, presentations and events.
48. Google Moon – See the Moon in 3D.
49. Google News, News Archive Search & Google News Timeline - Aggregated headlines and a search engine of many of the world’s news sources. News archive search provides an easy way to search and explore historical archives. News Timeline is a web application that organizes information chronologically.
50. Google Notebook (SearchWiki) - With Google Notebook, you can browse, clip, and organize information from across the web in a single online location that’s accessible from any computer.
51. Google Pack – Google Pack is a collection of software tools offered by Google to download in a single archive.
52. Google Patents - Search the full text of the U.S. patent corpus and find patents that interest you.
53. Google Postini – Google email security and archiving services, powered by Postini, make your existing email system more secure and compliant.
54. Google PowerMeter – Save Energy. Save Money. Make a Difference.
55. Google Product Search (Froogle) - Presents photographs of products and links to the stores that sell them online.
56. Google Profiles – Decide what the world sees when it searches for you. Display the information you care about and make it easy for visitors to get to know you.
57. Google Reader - Web based feed reader to keep up with blogs and news.
58. Google Scholar - Provides a search of scholarly literature across many disciplines and sources, including theses, books, abstracts and articles.
59. Google Script Converter – Convert text or a webpage.
60. Google Sets - Automatically create sets of items from a few examples.
61. Google Sites - Google Sites is a free and easy way to create and share web pages.
62. Google SketchUp - Create, modify and share 3D models.
63. Google Sky - Google Sky includes a number of different ways to explore the universe.
64. Google Squared – Takes a category and creates a starter ‘square‘ of information, automatically fetching and organizing facts from across the web.
65. Google Street View – Explore the world at street level.
66. Google Store – Official Google Accessories, Apparel Items, Software, Office Equipment.
67. Google Subscribed Links – Subscribed Links let you create custom search results that users can add to their Google search pages.
68. Google Suggest - As you type your search, Google offers keyword suggestions in real time.
69. Google Talk - Chat with family and friends over the Internet for free.
70. Google Tasks – Keep track of what you need to do. Your task list stays up to date no matter how you access it. It’s a simple list that’s with you everywhere you go.
71. Google Toolbar - Internet Explorer and Firefox Toolbar with Google search.
72. Google Transit – Plan a trip using public transportation.
73. Google Transliteration – Google Transliteration allows you to type phonetically using Roman characters.
74. Google Translate – Free online language translation service instantly translates text and web pages.
75. Google Trends & Google Insights for Search - Compare the world’s interest in your favorite topics. Use Google Insights for Search and see for yourself what the world is searching for.
76. Google Ventures – Venture Capital – by Google.
77. Google Video - Search and watch millions of videos indexed from all over the web.
78. Google Voice – Google Voice gives you one number for all your phones, voicemail as easy as email, free US long distance, low rates on international calls, and more.
79. Google Wave – Google Wave is a new online communication and collaboration tool.
80. Google Web Accelerator - Google Web Accelerator works with your browser to help web pages show up in a snap.
81. Google Web Elements – Google Web Elements allow you to easily add your favorite Google products to your website.
82. Google Web History - Your web history is stored on Google servers, which means that you can view and manage it from any computer.
83. Google Webmaster Tools - Provides you with detailed reports about your pages’ visibility on Google.
84. iGoogle - Your personalized Google home page.
85. Jaiku - Create your own microblog and connect with your friends.
86. Orkut - Social networking site designed to make your social life more active and stimulating.
87. Picasa - Helps you organize, edit, and share your photos.
88. reCAPTCHA – A captcha system that uses successful decodings to helps digitise books for online use.
89. Textcube - Korean blogging platform.
90. YouTube - Share your videos with friends, family, and the world.

Building Good Business Credit for Minority Business Owners (Final Part 2)

I provided alot of information in my last blog to lay the foundation for building solid business credit. The next step is what can be done to build correctly and avoid the stereotypical issues and wasted money. My first recommendation is to establish a profile with experian business.

Smart Creditors are starting to become more and more aware of the tactics used in building D&B paydex scores. For this reason, larger companies and banks are leaning on the credibility of experian business than ever before. It would be wise to contact experian business and check your score. If you don't have a score, then properly register your business with experian business online. 

Next, ask creditors in advance which reports do they pull to determine credit. So, it would be to your advantage to build credit in both places (D&B/Experian Business).

TIPS FOR ACTION: Business Credit helps you lay the financial foundation of your company. Once ruined, you almost always have to start over in a new company name. It's true that you can dispute bad information. And it may be removed "temporarily". But the negative information will continue to loom in the background of your "stressors and statistical data". The type of business you decide to start can make or break your report without you knowing it. Selecting highly profitable and growth industries is key to avoiding this automatic red flag on your business credit. Being a corporation (S Corp, C Corp, LLC, LLP etc) is essential. Maintaining annual registration on your corporation is essential.  Having the appropriate business licenses paid and updated on an annual basis is important. Creating a financial statement certified by a CPA and having it added to your business credit report is mission critical. Choosing the right creditors to work with is the game changer. Know whom you are seeking credit from.......interview them and ask questions. 

Finally, stop paying for these services and take the time to do it yourself. Don't have the time? Have your office manager, accountant or some other reliable internal source help you get things started. Register your company with Experian Business & know your creditors. The bulk of what you need to know and how to get started can be found at http://www.experian.com/small-business/services.jsp (view the links at the bottom of the page).

The Experian Business site has a ton of FREE information on properly starting and building business credit and can answer most of your detailed questions.Let me know how this helps you by following me on twitter @FilmWorksCEO  or  http://swandriasimpson.brand-yourself.com/

Black Americans Struggle to Build Business Credit : Not Always Your Fault (Part 1)

There are so many myths & misunderstandings surrounding business credit. And most are found on the internet. People "trust" websites they find on google entirely too much. In fact, much of the so called "information" you find on google concerning a number of subjects (especially business credit) is an assortment of blogs and sites stating opinions and outdated information. Some contain outright lies, untruths & thieves wanting to take your hard earned money. Truth IS any thief with a computer, website, access to the internet and google analytics can show up on the first page of any type of google search. And the business credit game is filled with such thieves. Google DOES NOT VERIFY the LEGITIMACY of ANYTHING appearing in its regular searches.

After years of research, analysis and owning a company that formerly operated in that space, I can tell you unequivocally 98% of the information and the people selling business credit services are out to take your hard earned money. Here's the truth. You may not like it, but it's the truth nonetheless. There is no short cut to building good, solid, strong, viable business credit. It's like a fine wine, it gets better with time.  There are important do(s) and don't(s) and I'm going to share them with you right here in this blog over the course of several blogs.  Please feel free to share this information and subscribe to the blog so that you won't miss anything important in this new weekly series.

My strongest advice is to save your money and do it yourself. I will give you tips and details on what to do over the coming weeks.  Might I remind you that some will charge you hundreds or even thousands for this same information. As a matter of service to the community and getting you to follow the excitement of this newly focused blog, I'm providing it to you for FREE.

First off, Business Credit is established in tiers. There are 4-5 tiers. If you have not established credit in the right tier in the proper order, your credit report at D&B will be flagged. D&B stands for Dunn & Bradstreet, the oldest business information sharing source in the world. D&B once decided who would and would not gain access to business credit. D&B became the world's largest Business Credit Bureau. Since business credit is not a consumer right, it has no regulation. The rules can be made up as you go. And changed by whomever is making said rules.

As absurd as it sounds, a D&B report does not even contain the names of any creditors. The report simply "describes" the type of creditor it may be. The report then lists the amount of credit "someone" claims you owe, terms and if you paid on time.  Since there are no names of creditors, you may not have a real idea of who claims you owe them money. With this in mind, a D&B report may be more inaccurate than your personal credit report. But because you have absolutely no legal rights as far as business credit goes, it is nothing more than a tool that can be used against you at the sole discretion of the credit grantor.


After years researching this system, we now understand why it is most difficult for Black American Businesses to properly build credit and grow good business credit than say non-black owned companies. A number of Black owned businesses fall prey to this legal scam operated by the largest business credit bureau in the world. Many have no idea that negative information even appears on their report until it's too late. Since there is so much confusion about the business credit process, many will make calls to D&B looking for help and resolution. What you will get is a team of highly trained Inside Sales people who will lie their way into your pocket. Selling you useless credit building packages that at one time cost nearly a $1000.We too were fooled by this D&B tactic.

These so called credit building packages allow you to provide D&B with the names & phone numbers of creditors that you have done business with that may not be reporting or showing on your D&B report. D&B promises to call and "verify" the credit you give them in exchange for you paying their fee. However, if  none of your creditors are officially registered with D&B (which involves your creditors paying fees to D&B so that they could report your credit) and many aren't, then none of  that credit will ever be added to your D&B report as promised and paid for. In other words, you have to pay AND your creditors have to pay! If those creditors decided not to pay D&B, then nothing you paid D&B for gets reported. And you will have wasted your money as it is totally nonrefundable.  D&B Sales people will not "voluntarily" tell you this information. They are not obligated to do so. D&B is planning to rapidly expand this service in order to "compete" with the thieves who show up high in google searches claiming to offer similar business credit services. D&B recently started a massive hiring of Inside Sales people to "target" those whom I suspect do not know any better.

If you think that information is alarming, then you will find the following to be even more so. Your D&B report contains a complete analysis of your type of business. This includes your location details (home-based, type of building or structure, general neighborhood). Your D&B report contains a complete analysis of your company's industry type which includes the rate of failure in your industry. Your report contains other "stressors" that even warns a potential credit about lending to your type of company which is based on "other people's failure" not how well your company is paying. D&B even makes specific recommendations as to whether you are credit worthy or not which have nothing to do with your overall credit score. Even with an excellent score, D&B can recommend that a credit grantor should not extend credit to you.

The promises of an 80 paydex score.  D&B works on a "scoring system" that ranges from 0-100. 80 is suppose to be the magic number that sends a message to creditors that you pay bills on time. Building up your paydex score (D&B's official name for your business credit score) is EASY using starter credit like small accounts at uline, quill etc. Just about anyone will trust you and open what is known as a "net 30 account" with a $150-$300 starting credit limit each. These small accounts will certainly build the 80 paydex score if paid on time. Here's the hidden problem.

In the case of many newly opened Black owned companies, your 80 paydex score can be rendered useless. If you own a certain type of business or in a certain neighborhood or in a certain industry......your score is NOT the only factor in making a credit decision. It's the REST of your report that's effecting your business credit. And the REST of your report is CONTROLLED and DETERMINED by staff at D&B. No amount of money nor credit building services will help you escape this fact! If you own or operate a business in what some consider the WRONG INDUSTRY or if D&B staffers believe your industry is one plagued by failure, then your D&B report in eternally doomed! Unfortunately for many Black owned companies, these reports are nothing more than tools of  legal discrimination. Real knowledge is real power!

In Part 2 we will discuss your best alternatives. Where there's a will there's a way. Save your money, do it yourself and follow this blog.

Swan Simpson @FilmworksCEO is an Opinionated, Politically Incorrect, Agent, Intelligent Brand Developer, Filmmaker, TV Producer, Writer, Blogger, Entrepreneur, Spiritual Thinker, Sports Fanatic. The views expressed in this blog are certainly my own and do not reflect the views or opinions of anyone other than me (friendly disclaimer). http://swandriasimpson.brand-yourself.com/

                                                     http://twitter.com/filmworksceo
             

Music Industry: Reaping What It Sowed

Swandria Simpson: Saving What's Left of the Music Industry

As a subscriber to the Music Industry Report, I get to read priceless insights about the crippled industry that may not be made so public. There is no question that the Music Industry has seen better days. Trillion Dollar earnings. Cornered Markets. Control of Talent. Control of Creativity. Control of the Airways and dictating what we will and will not be able to hear on the radio. It's an industry that has fallen under its own weight. I remember the days of organized criminals openly running labels, cheating Artist out of their hard earned money and holding consumers hostage.

In my never to be humbled opinion, the Music Industry has raped, robbed & pillaged enough and should be grateful that some fans are still hanging around after enduring decades of  the industry's blatant disrespect and bullshit. I absolutely love Radio One's Kathy Hughes' commentary about how the Music Industry owes Millions of Dollars to Artists, yet will not pay them. And how the industry wants her and other radio station owners to cover the slack. How arrogant is this. But I must hold the Artists accountable for allowing themselves to be nothing more than glorified human traffick. But I digress.

I think it's time for the Music Industry to give back and pay back in order to save itself. Music should be FREE. That's right, I said it. Give it all away. Free digital downloads of all Artists recordings on Major & Major Independent Labels. Use Videos to promote. Radio to promote. And make the bulk of your money from Concerts, Touring, Personal Appearances & Merchandising.


Building a global bridge to fans to save yourself is key. Restructuring deals with existing Artists so that you will be a Partner in their brand truly sharing the wealth with them. And using your resources to properly promote their brands instead of signing Artists just to shelve them. If you gave it all away, you would grow their fan base exponentially thus increasing the value of the brand. If you gave it all away you would sell more merchandise and increase revenues from concerts & touring. If you properly and fairly created a Partnership with Artists, you could share in their overall growth including revenues from Film, TV and other appearances (not this 360 degrees of bullshit you now have going on) BUT a new deal that competent (independent) Artist Management & Legal Teams can properly negotiate so that this new relationship isn't run with the type of  iron fist & dictatorship. The NEW Music Industry should then be thankful that the Artist wants to work with their label instead of things being the other way around.

Labels trying to remain a tyrant in a digital world will only lead to your complete demise.

If Beyonce walked away from her label (like Prince) and gave all of her music away as free digital downloads to  her fans and others (like I'm suggesting), her brand's worth would increase one hundred fold overnight. She wouldn't lose anything. She would become a fully self contained conglomerate who is NOW more available to her fans than ever before. The relationship would be more personal, more intimate thus more committed....and that translates into loyal buyers or mo' money honey!


If you need assistance developing a strategy to successfully "give it all away"...reach out to me.

Swan Simpson @FilmworksCEO is an Opinionated, Politically Incorrect, Agent, Intelligent Brand Developer, Filmmaker, TV Producer, Writer, Blogger, Entrepreneur, Spiritual Thinker, Sports Fanatic http://swandriasimpson.brand-yourself.com/

#1 BLACK ISSUE IN AMERICA, WHAT IS IT?

As many of you know by now, Mark S. Hampton with Black Enterprise Magazine, begins a new radio program this weekend Rebranding Black America. He posed the question in our forum on www.LinkedIN.com/ and here's what I had to say.

#1 BLACK ISSUE IN AMERICA, WHAT IS IT?

Using other people's thoughts, ideas and concepts as the litmus test. The adaptation of the slave mentality. Being in a constant crisis and a permanent welfare state. Never leading the pack...always following and not even do that well. The Koreans never reinvent the wheel. They just imitate and imitate well. 

We wear formal education like a badge of honor, but barely use it to edify our own community. We simply sell, barter & loan our talent out to build someone else's destiny, empire, conglomerate & dream. We enjoy being the HNIC all while leaving no worthwhile legacy. We accumulate material things to impress people we don't even know or like for that matter. We only "give" at church, where money is oftentimes squandered by pulpit pimps with selfish & self serving intentions. Never the hero always the victim needing rescue. We open "bitnesses", but never grow an enterprise. We lie, steal, rob & cheat each other worse than the white man ever could have imagined we'd do. We think Black Business is inferior, but when you often get inferior service along with an inferior attitude who can blame the impression(s) we leave. We raise our children to be slaves to the same rhythm. It's perpetual.

We expect the government to grant us money for every single aspect of our existence. College, Day Care, Business Start Up, Business Failure etc. We recognize and reward failure more than achievement. With many Black nonprofit organizations focusing time, energy, money & resources trying to save the so called at risk youth...while ignoring our best & brightest and pushing them right into the hands of the "man" who grants them scholarships because we squander resources on the juvenile delinquent whose daddy wasn't in the house. We major in the minor. Forgetting what's important. Everybody isn't college material and quite frankly DOESN'T deserve the chance. 

We have lost our sense of community because we collectively can't stand living amongst and around each other. We pass each other on the streets and won't even speak. We go to networking conferences & events and get the temporary high. Then the reality of not having a single source of community based support sets in. And we are back at square one with no motivation. Black owned Banks follow the same rules of their slave master white owned banks. If the criteria is the exact same with no sensitivity to the community, I could just take my rejection from the white run banks. Koreans, Chinese & people from India.....cater their services to their community. And although everyone falls under the Banking Commission Regulations, those communities do not allow the white man to set the criteria as to whom they will and will not lend money to. You will only find Koreans, Chinese & Indians working at their own banks & lending institutions...no affirmative action there. 

But no. We've got to imitate what we THINK makes success and we aren't getting anywhere as a community as a result. Immigrant Latinos & Asians are taking over our prideful Black Mecca here in Atlanta. In the last 10 years the Latino Business Community has grown 101% & the Asian Business Community 74%. All while we are flagrant with our money & buying power thus making them richer while complaining about them stepping off a boat and into a mansion. Our slave mentality is to blame. An attitude of entitlement because we won't stop sucking the titty of white people. Always crying about how we've been treated historically then trusting everything they teach us about business & community. 

We are the most creative & resourceful people on the planet. And our #1 issue is failure to use that creativity for ourselves. And setting our own standards for success. And developing our own rules of engagement. We demand nothing worthwhile, we get nothing worthwhile. We are the constant social experiment politically. And the last out the gate economically. That's no accident. That's by 

design. And merely by our choice. It's a choice we've chosen over innovation! 

Swan Simpson @FilmworksCEO is an Opinionated, Politically Incorrect, Agent, Filmmaker, TV Producer, Writer, Blogger, Entrepreneur, Spiritual Thinker, Sports Fanatic http://swandriasimpson.brand-yourself.com/

Holding Black Mega Churches Accountable for the Benjamins!

A MegaChurch is a church having 2,000 or more in average weekend attendance.The Hartford Institute's database lists more than 1,300 such Protestant churches in the United States. According to that data, approximately 50 churches on the list have attendance ranging from 10,000 to 47,000 weekly.

I am of the opinion that when you walk out of church and you are stepping over homeless people on your way to your car, something is terribly wrong with that picture. When people are meeting you with signs that ask you for spare change as you walk out the church door, something is wrong with this scene. I am also of the opinion that Black Mega Churches are more about feeding the egos & pockets of Pastors, their friends, their families, their mistresses & their boyfriends.... than feeding those in the nearby communities.

Let me give you a little background.  I use to belong to an Atlanta suburban based "mega church" lead by a Pastor who certainly lives up to his last name; as he is truly making the dollars! Let me just say, I was all for the message of prosperity and I put my money where my worship is! I still respect my old Pastor, but you have to ask, "where does all the money go?"

With all of the rumors swirling about Pastors expecting members to produce W-2 forms to make sure they are truly tithing 10%, I think it's time for the Pastor to show the church their W-2. Fair exchange, no robbery. If you are hurting in the recession and in the process of losing your home, I'm told if you seek assistance from many Mega Churches, they "background check" your membership status which includes taking a look at how much you have given since being a member. I say fair enough. We want to make sure that tithing members are properly served, sort of like an investment club (sic). However, since a church can provide such detailed statements on how much each member gives, they certainly can provide each member with the same detailed account of how your giving is being used.

I've heard many excuses as to why Black folks don't demand accountability from the churches they financially support. Every idiom from "I just give from my heart so what THEY do with the money has nothing to do with me." "It's in God's hands so I just don't worry about it."  WHY must we always leave everything up to emotion and chance?  This is one of the many reasons why our community is constantly getting bamboozled & left feeling victimized in the end.

As a member of a mega church, members should want & seek a complete accountability of ALL the "revenue" the church has coming in the door. We should expect a year end detailed financial statement showing how much was given, raised and/or earned by the Church Corporation. How was the money distributed and to whom and for what. AND in what amounts...down to the dollar details. How much is spent on salaries, perks and incomes for all Pastors, Staff, Employees including visiting Ministers & Honorariums. How much is given to each specific type of ministry outreach within the church and how much of that was specifically spent on the core focus of that specific ministry function. If you DON'T know your Pastor's salary, "housing" allowance, travel allowance, boyfriend allowance, mistress allowance and associated expenses...something is wrong!

As a Minister, I certainly agree that a Pastor should be well paid for the tireless work and good many of them do. But when you are running a multimillion dollar corporation or church conglomerate you have a responsibility to the Kingdom of God & the people of God to be ACCOUNTABLE for your good works. Be real! Church is a business. A non-profit corporation, but a Corporation yet and STILL. Pastors with Bentley's, Range Rovers & Million Dollar Estates all while the people around you are poor, needy & broke, are NOT doing the work! The mission of the Church is not being performed. And your Pastor should be FIRED!

I don't think anyone would argue that a Church's first responsibility is serving its members and the immediate community. Everything within a 25 mile radius of a Mega Church should be prospering. There should be zero homeless people and zero hungry people near that church.....IF the church is doing its job in serving the people. Mega Churches raise hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars on any given Sunday, but give out food baskets once or twice a year as a token act of sentimentality. Mega Churches raise money for ministry outreach, but then ask the congregation to give used clothing so that the homeless outreach will have something to provide the community. I just wanna know what happened to the cash we gave in the weekly and sometimes 2-3 times weekly offering(s)?! I'm giving you clothes, therefore; that's no longer an expense. So, tell me where has the cash we are giving in our Missions offerings gone? And why are you asking the congregation for free clothes & can goods? You should have a budget that covers all of that.

As a community of people, we've got to stop being so dang foolish. Following and going along with nonsense & madness because we don't want to so call "question" God. You are NOT questioning God. You are "questioning" that negro in the Armani suit & gators. You are asking that same negro to "show me the money".  Checks and balances are the only way to keep a man or woman honest. It's a business. God's business. And God's business is about ORDER.   "It aint that I don't trust you darlin'. It's your private thoughts that give me pause......"

Swandria Simpson to Produce the Soul of Country Music Awards

Swandria Simpson 



Executive Producer of The Soul of Country Music Awards in Atlanta, Georgia

There have been many Black Americans who've made countless contributions to Country Music. We feel it's time to celebrate those individuals with an award show that speaks specifically to this end. So, in September 2012, the Soul of Country Music Awards is set to take center stage in Atlanta, Georgia.

This star studded, red carpet affair is being kept under wraps as the finer details and inner workings of a show of this magnitude are being mapped out. But the list of Performers & Presenters reads like a "Who's Who" of Country Music.

The Creators of the show are working feverishly to make this event amongst the most talked about of the year. They have spent over a decade making this dream a reality. "I am so pleased to be a part of this American History. It's a wonderful celebration whose time is long over due." I say.


Swandria Simpson  Contacts:
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