Ok. Who is Susan Eisenhower? Somewhere in a dusty attic, there is a dollar coin with General Dwight D. Eisenhower, our 34th president’s face on it.. Susan Eisenhower knows him as granddad.
Today’s big news on the political front is John McCain launching a cross country campaign tour; Hillary Clinton saying even a Passion of Christ style beating won’t stop her blind ambition; and Republicans aka Obamacans poking their heads out of the sand to publicly voice support for Barack Obama.

50 Cent might be confused about who and what to believe..

.. but here’s the granddaughter of the Supreme Commander of World War II and two term Republican president, writing an editorial saying her grandfather needed cross party support to be elected and if Obama is the Democratic nominee, she’ll do all she can to get him in office too.

Most definitely check the whole thing - “Why I’m Backing Obama”

Here’s the big snip..

Forty-seven years ago, my grandfather Dwight D. Eisenhower bid farewell to a nation he had served for more than five decades. In his televised address, Ike famously coined the term “military-industrial complex,” and he offered advice that is still relevant today. “As we peer into society’s future,” he said, we “must avoid the impulse to live only for today, plundering, for our own ease and convenience, the precious resources of tomorrow.”

I am convinced that Barack Obama is the one presidential candidate today who can encourage ordinary Americans to stand straight again; he is a man who can salve our national wounds and both inspire and pursue genuine bipartisan cooperation. Just as important, Obama can assure the world and Americans that this great nation’s impulses are still free, open, fair and broad-minded.

Two weeks ago, when Barack Obama was on flames for his pastor’s statements, and some, almost equating being black to being anti-American. I wondered what Condoleezza Rice, flying around the world as our Secretary of State, how does that black American feel about race in America?

Yesterday, a Washington Times reporter asked Condoleezza Rice about the upcoming 40th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr’s death and how she thinks race relations have developed since then. ~ “Rice hits U.S. ‘birth defect’

Obviously, Barack Obama opened this box, Condoleezza refused to take sides politically, saying only that she heard Barack Obama’s speech and it was “important” that Mr. Obama “gave it for a whole host of reasons.”

Judging by the openness of her answer, calling the history of race in America a “birth defect” and explaining the context of the founders vs. blacks in this country and how it affects generational thinking, even today, it’s obvious she was with Barack all the way.

The preview..

“I sit in my office and the portrait immediately over my shoulder is Thomas Jefferson. And sometimes I think, what would he think of this black woman Secretary of State as his successor? What would he think that the last two successors have been black Americans..”

Take a listen.

Whenever Kelly Rowland is captured in a paparazzi shot, it’s labeled.. in the UK. She seems to get more love overseas and looks more comfortable in the UK than she does in the states. I’m guessing it has something to do with being a step outside of Beyonce’s shadow. A girl can get some heat without the easy comparisons.

With the re-release of her album “Miss Kelly”, last week Kelly Rowland participated in UK’s 1Xtra Live concert series. Kelly was interviewed before she hit the stage. Asked about a Destiny Child’s reunion, Kelly said she liked the idea, but “that’s gonna be awhile.”

Yeah, like after Beyonce shoots her load and needs the girls to refresh her image. That’s me talking, Kelly had much kinder words, but you can hear the ‘hope’ in her voice.

Kelly was also asked about her love for the UK.

“I’m here a lot and I love being here. I think that it’s more than just being here. I’m inspired by the UK. With the style of music, with the style of dress. I feel like when I’m here - and this is not a joke - I feel like I’m watching a fashion show. Because everybody has great style. Everybody looks fly. With all the beautiful people, I just want to fit in.”

You can see her performance in full.. here (Windows Media)

*The video is cell-phone sized. hit alt + 3 to enlarge it somewhat.*

This afternoon, Remy Ma was found guilty of two counts of first-degree assault, attempted coercion, and criminal possession of a weapon. As the verdict was read, Remy quietly wiped tears from her face - seemingly in shock. After court officers took her away in handcuffs, she was heard crying loudly in the hallway, screaming, “Oh my, God. Oh my, God.” << see comments.

Some of Remy's supporters in the courtroom also cried, and there was a slight disturbance between them and Makeda-Barnes people. Makeda is Remy's ex-friend/victim in the incident, she was all smiles, "I'm so happy. Justice was served."

At her sentencing on April 23, Remy faces 5-25 years in prison.

Remy got in all this mess on July 14, 2007.

After leaving a Manhattan nightclub, with some friends, Remy said $3000 was missing from her bag and she knew who took it. Remy got into Makeda-Barnes Joseph car and demanded that she dump the contents of her bag. In the fight for the bag, Remy pulled a .45 and pointed it at Makeda. *Pow*

Remy’s defense lawyer, Ivan Fisher, said she pulled the trigger by accident.

The jury deliberated the case for two days and came to a different conclusion.

Last week the Los Angeles Times posted a ‘bombshell’ report that linked Diddy to 2Pac’s shooting in the lobby of a Manhattan recording studio in 1994. The reporter, Chuck Philips defended “An attack on Tupac Shakur launched a hip-hop war” to the last paragraph.

The Smoking Gun did some investigating of Chuck Philip’s sources and discovered an imprisoned con man, James Sabatino, is behind the claim.

Sabatino is said to have created a fantasy world where he managed rappers, did business with Diddy, 2Pac, Busta Rhymes, Biggie, and served as a representative between Diddy and Suge Knight during the East Coast/West Coast ‘wars.’

Sabatino was little more than a rap devotee, a wildly impulsive, overweight white kid from Florida whose own father once described him in a letter to a federal judge as “a disturbed young man who needed attention like a drug.”

In addition to faked documents, he’s also suing Diddy for $16 million.

Read all that at - “Big Phat Liar”

Yesterday, Barack Obama released his 2000 - 2006 income tax returns; putting pressure on Hillary Clinton to stick to her promise to do the same before the Philadelphia primary.

Here’s an 06’ copy for yourself.

The most telling thing is how Barack Obama’s two books Dreams from My Father and The Audacity of Hope bumped his family’s income into the 1.5 million range.
In a year or so, the Obamas could bank a few extra dollars when Michelle releases a book of her own.

Twelve publishers have contacted Barack Obama’s agent/lawyer, Robert Barnett, asking one question, how many digits does she need on this check? Never mind that Barack Obama isn’t yet the Democratic nominee, not to mention winning the election. Tim Duggan, an editor at Harper-Collins, says a book by Michelle Obama would, “almost certainly have a major impact, whether her husband is the next president or not.”

Michelle Obama isn’t looking that far ahead, she has yet to sign anything or considered it. The Obama’s communications director, dotted her feeling as, “Oh, thanks, that’s great. It’s a nice opportunity but…” You know, they have other things to think about.

The Official “Meet Michelle” Clip.

Writing a book as first lady would be nice, but how things shakes out for Barack will have no impact on it happening. Win or lose, Barack Obama has two books left on his publishing contract (a children’s book and a follow-up to The Audacity of Hope.) Knowing how the money flows, having the opportunity to get all her thoughts out, how could Michelle Obama resist explaining how she really loves her country - especially if she writes it in the White House.

Ah, finally, as bubbled last month, Erykah Badu and Q-Tip are the cover story of this month’s Trace magazine. Shout to Concreteloop for reminding me to circle back to the site. Trace is available in a downloadable PDF format (save that after it loads.)

Erykah Badu spoke of how much she was inspired by A Tribe Called Quest and the Native Tongues movement. Amen to that. The Native Tongues opened the doors for all the ‘freaqs’ in rap and if you were a singer, neo-soul became your thing.

Q-Tip and Erykah spoke of each other as good friends: they exchange beats, ideas, critiques, sometimes her kids talk to him during one of their IM sessions. I think they made it clear it’s all strictly on a family ties level.

Asked when they’re going to collaborate, Erykah recalled this..

“I went over to his house in New Jersey and even before we started talking about music, he said, ‘Be quiet, let’s just sit down, I want to show you a movie.’ He showed me Black Orpheus and it was like, ‘Wow’ We went down to the basement and started to do beats, and he came up with this really funky guitar loop, and I was like ‘this is it.’”

That being ‘forced’ to watch Black Orpheus thing stuck out.. What’s that?

On the web you’re always a click away from an answer.

And a clip.

100% on Rotten Tomatoes? Five to four stars all over the Tube.

One lazy Sunday I’ve got to que’ it up. You know, just to be Juno cool.

It’s been confirmed that Gabrielle Union is cast in Cadillac Records; you know, that new Beyonce movie in production. Maybe it’s me, but the advance buzz is making this look like Beyonce’s solo moment, like she’s taking on Etta James life the way Jamie Foxx did Ray Charles. Turns out, Beyonce is one of many, in a movie about Leonard Chess, the founder of Chess Records. The label launched the careers of Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Chuck Berry, and Etta James.

Jeffrey Wright is playing Muddy Waters.

Gabrielle Union got the role of Geneva Morganfield, Muddy Water’s wife.

Blackfilm.com scooped this from Can’t Be Satisfied: The Life and Times of Muddy Waters, “The song ‘Little Geneva’ was based on her. The book states that Muddy was quoted to saying ‘When I met her, even though I was a recording success, there were still people who scorned my music. Geneva encouraged me to ignore them and fight for what I wanted to accomplish. I’ll never be able to put words the way I feel about her.”

One thing is sure, it’ll be good to see Gabrielle in something other than a romantic comedy.

I’m not sold on light-skinned Jeffrey playing Muddy Waters.

Kind of like, Steve-O playing Flavor Flav. Hah.

What about the rest of the cast?

Adrian Brody is Leonard Chess.

Cedric The Entertainer is Willie Dixon.

And Mos Def is.. Chuck Berry!