The rapper
Diddy has a lot going on. Right now, he's promoting a long list of new projects and products, and doing major media tours as a result. He received some feedback after he recently decided to give his son
Justin a $360,000 car for his birthday. One of the more interesting things that Diddy did was an interview with Martin Bashir of ABC News, the same guy who some believe sold out
Michael Jackson after gaining his trust a few years ago. Although I was always suspicious of Jackson's activities, I am never a fan of a reporter who would engage in such deceptive journalism. Bashir benefited from embarrassing Jackson, which was likely the reason he got his opportunity with ABC News.
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Jay-Z: Forty @ 40
For the better part of the last 15 years, the Brooklyn-bred hip hop icon Jay-Z has become one of the most respected men in and beyond the hip hop business. From his revered rap style to his savvy business acumen, the man known as Shawn Carter (and "Jigga," "Hov" and "Jay," among others monikers) is worthy of celebrating in a special way. Here are 40 things to know about Jay-Z.
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Jay-Z: Forty @ 40
For the better part of the last 15 years, the Brooklyn-bred hip hop icon Jay-Z has become one of the most respected men in and beyond the hip hop business. From his revered rap style to his savvy business acumen, the man known as Shawn Carter (and "Jigga," "Hov" and "Jay," among others monikers) is worthy of celebrating in a special way. Here are 40 things to know about Jay-Z.
Jay-Z: Forty @ 40
Born on Dec. 4 1969, Shawn Corey Carter was the last of Gloria Carter's four children. Throughout his career, he has made his childhood stomping grounds -- Brooklyn's Marcy Houses Housing Projects -- one of the borough's most well-known neighborhoods.
Jay-Z: Forty @ 40
With what many would describe as one of Hova's defining career moments, the rapper's breakout single came from the hands of 'The Nutty Professor' soundtrack. The motion picture's companion album featured Jigga's second single, 'Ain't No...' featuring then newcomer 17-year-old female MC, Foxy Brown.
Jay-Z: Forty @ 40
New York's 'Finest' may have needed more than a 'Reasonable Doubt' to help stop Jay and Biggie's 1996 verbal assault. The Brooklyn duo traded lyrics from Marcy to Bed-Stuy on the classic track, 'Brooklyn's Finest.'
Jay-Z: Forty @ 40
Jay-Z once told Foxy Brown no one could love her better, the MC turned around and attempted to hook up with Brown's raunchy rival Lil' Kim -- lyrically that is. Jigga and the self proclaimed Queen Bee gave fans a mouth full on the sexual charged track, 'Big Momma Thang' in 1996.
Jay-Z: Forty @ 40
In midst of 1997's "shiny suit" era, Shawn Carter tried his luck on the Babyface and Foxy Brown assisted hit, 'Sunshine,' which was also complimented with a kaleidoscopic video.
Jay-Z: Forty @ 40
It appeared veteran R&B powerhouse Angela Winbush loved money more than her former lover and musical partner René Moore. The singer reworked her original vocals from their classic 1980's hit 'I Love You More' on Notorious B.I.G.'s 'I Love the Dough' (featuring Jay-Z).
Jay-Z: Forty @ 40
Back in 1998 the future music moguls and sought after rappers proclaimed that they avoided anything that didn't 'gleam clean' on the chart-topping hit 'Money Ain't A Thing.'
Jay-Z: Forty @ 40
Jay-Z has garnered a total of five Grammy Awards to date. In 1999, he won 'Best Rap Album' for 'Vol. 2 ... Hard Knock Life.
Jay-Z: Forty @ 40
If looks could kill, video vixen Gloria Velez left no innocent bystanders to witness her performance sequence during Jay's party anthem, 'Big Pimpin' video in 2000.
Jay-Z: Forty @ 40
Similar to what he did to Michael Jackson, Bashir went in on Diddy as well, for his parenting style, asking him about his six children, which clearly made Diddy uncomfortable. While one can certainly judge the personal choices of quite a few entertainers, I personally found Bashir's line of questioning incredibly intrusive and judgmental. For his own reasons, Diddy never chose to get married, and it's his right to do so. With the high profile and expensive divorces endured by the likes of Tiger Woods and other celebrities, you can hardly blame Diddy for going out of his way to protect his wealth. Marriage can be a wonderful institution, but we can't blame or attack individuals who choose to pass on the opportunity.
For the record, Diddy is reportedly worth about $360 million dollars. He is ranked 35th on Forbes Celebrity Power 100, and earned $30 million last year doing a whole lot of things besides making music.
The interview is below if you'd like to see it. I found it quite interesting.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action Resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. 
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By: Toneb on 6/15/2010 12:57AM
If Bashir would've connive a white pop star like he did Micheal Jackson,he wouldn't be on mainstream TV.
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By: . on 6/17/2010 12:28AM
I agree Kansas/V.A ; )
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By: ooozzzzz on 6/14/2010 3:42PM
What do you call one of the most successful African American rap/hip hop moguls in music history?
N*gger.
This is what this interview was all about for ABC and interviewer Martin Bashir. This guy and ABC are snakes and for Diddy's part, he did not do his research and was not fully prepared for this interview.
He greeted bashir as a friend and this this guy is far from it. He's a journalist and he's not concerned about your feelings.
Diddy needs and wants the publicity and the exposure to push his name sake & brand forward via national TV to a larger audience to make that transition in the game from hard core rap/hip hop mogul (the very thing that got him to where he is today) to a more mature, knowledgable, softer adult at the age of 40 since Rap/Hip Hop is dwindling; has lost much of it's luster and the combination of Rap/Hip Hop and now being middle aged for Diddy and others are harder to sell.
The same way that Rap/Hip Hop artists had to fight for respect, acceptence and equality among the masses, now that the major players are approaching 40+ and now need those still conservative adults who question them, they have to fight for respect, acceptence and equlity all over again.
When Martin Beshir sid the word "megalomania" or "megalomanic" which means "a psychopathological condition characterized by delusional fantasies of wealth, power, or omnipotence and "an obsession with grandiose or extravagant things or actions.....Diddy did not know what that meant. he thought that it was a compliment..... but it was an direct insult aimed to him and his hip hop lifestyle and when Bashir realized that Diddy didn't catch that and understand what that word meant, then he started to dig at Diddy.
Promote "Diddy Dog Food"? The talk of his kids and family in a negative manner? Talk of Tupac & Biggie tryin to sound suspicious and raise suspicion" How you raise your kids?
Bashir asked Diddy about the word "mindfyck" but Bashir was already working his mindfyck on Diddy.
Diddy, do your homework.
And Diddy got lost. This is not BET, the Rap/Hip Hop community and about "keepin' it real, hard core and gangsta".. those days are over....this is mainstream which requires a whole new way of thinking and the approach to things.
Diddy and his hip hop/rap culture is going to have to work real hard to separate themselves from the world that they created that made them rich and famous now they they are trying now as they get older, to turn into "respectable citizens" in the world of Hollywood and mainstream media in order to continue their careers and mainstream will not be kind to any of them.
Rap/Hip has a lot of negative & nasty residue trails, both dead and yet, not dead bodies (murder deregulated cussing, profanity and images, prison, booty shaking, sex, strippers, rape, death, prostitution, drugs, gangs, crime, bitches' ho's etc) that not easily buried & forgotten especially when you re trying to flip the script and get the conservative "White & Black" grown up folks love and support, who (many from day one) have tolerated, critized and fought against them for decades for their agenda & behavior (and especially their kids who they had to raise and fight against 24/7 with all the rap/hip hop culture & it's negative influence) and now wanting to convince them to support and buy my new & somewhat improved "older more mature image of me" that I am now projecting.
Especially when in the prime of rap/hip hop, Diddy and the culture did not give a flying fyck about what they did or anybody thought. The did not care at all except make that money by "any means necessary".
For Diddy and others, it's not about those young kids anymore, it about grown folk, being respected, admired and they have to make the sell and make the case for transistion in order to survive career wise.
Rap and Hip/Hop has now reached middle age and beyond and the going will get tough and only a few who are strong, will survive.
And this is not about the money so forget about the now riches because if the "flip the script" is not successful, they money and fame will quickly dry up.
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By: Marsha on 6/16/2010 3:49PM
Excellent post! I agree with everything you said here. Diddy has this huge hustle mentality and he saw this interview as an opportunity to push his products to an even bigger and perhaps 'different' audience. However it was clear that Bashir was attacking him through pretty much the whole interview. I could do nothing but shake my head the whole time watching it. I would say that Bashir accomplished what he set out to do and exposed Diddy to that 'different' audience for the person who he really is...Not very bright, or to expand on what you said, a dumb ni**er. I would assume out of that 'different' viewing audience most of whom would chose the latter.
Diddy seemed only to get mad when questioned about his decision to buy his 16 yr old child a $360,000 car, when he should have been mad at almost everything Bashir said. Although his response was typical for someone of his intellect. It's such a shame he couldn't have made Bashir eat his words, however if he could have, given Bashir's history he would have just edited that part out.
You're right he should have done his research on Bashir that way he would have recognized when the mindf**king began and he would have had the good sense to walk out. Or better yet, not even book the interview at all. He didn't have the ability/intellect to take over the interview and it's too bad that he didn't get that he was the one being f**ked with until the end of the interview.
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By: BG on 6/14/2010 6:49PM
Dr. Boyce:
I have read many articles from you many of which are thoughtless.
When you don't want your business out there, you dont't embrace somebody in the calibre of Bashir with such a magnetic force of oratory skills in your domain. Where was Diddy during Michael Jackson's interview? As fearsome as Michael is to many pundits, Bashir still was able to achieve what he was sent by his employer - a favorable ratings both for himself and his employer.
But Michael is more smarter than Diddy in the sense that he used most of the negativity towards him against Bashir. In most counries, Bashir will not be conducting another interview of that nature again.
So, Dr. Boyce, this is what you say to your man:
Yes, somebody can tell you what you do with your child. They are called Children Services. But a senseless waste of money to want to make a statement that you love your child is not their focus.
Sit down with your child and say to him, "Even though I made it through rapping or what you call it, the bling bling life is not the route I want you to pursue.
I will buy you your own home for your 21st b'day on condition that you gain entrance into Yale or Havard law school rather than something that doesn't hold any intrinsic value you call maybach"
Tell your man Diddy for a few thousand, he could hire a private professor to tutor his child and of course himself so that the next time he finds himself in front of somebody with a great oratory skills as Bashir he would know how best to conduct himself in an interview rather than resort to anger.
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By: dsdfsdfsds on 6/14/2010 8:48PM
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New era cap $15
Bikini (Ed hardy,polo) $25
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By: Toneb on 6/15/2010 1:10AM
Come on man,it's not that serious!After that interview Diddy is still a rich nigga,who has 1,200 niggas working for him.
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By: BG on 6/15/2010 5:35PM
Toneb:
He will not be the first nor the last rich bufoon with 1200 employees. We have had Mike Tyson and we have had M.C. Hammer. People can do what they want with their money. You can take yours, go to the bar, and each time you had a drink, tip all waitress $100,000.00 each. whether or not we as a race are financially savvy is the question. I do not want to come from JZ background for example, made it like JZ and end up where I began from. I do not want to come from 50 cents background, made it like 50 cents and want to end up where I began from. I don't want to end up like Tyson and M.C. Hammer either.
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By: stay positive on 6/15/2010 11:20AM
he got offended when they asked bout him buying his son a $250,000 car. he's right, he can do whatever he wants w/his money w/his kids.
but what i don't like is how he making all these damn kids and his only response is - they are well taken care of and so are their mothers.. they are still broken homes, none of the kids live w/each other or w/him.. money can buy lots of materialistic things but it can't buy everything.. he's a woman user and these women allow him to because he's a provider and has $$$$..
imagine if it was any other normal person w/out tall that glitz and glam.. he'd or she'd be called every name in the book..
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By: Tiffani on 6/15/2010 3:40PM
Dang, dude was harsh during this interview. However, he also said things that other people are intimidated to address. Those who would love to address these concerns are on his payroll, so they aren't going to cross the hands that feed them. Diddy has grown accustomed to showing the love he has for another through the flow of money.
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