Author: Hyentbiz

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So my new favorite Sunday show, The United States of Tara comes to a close this weekend. In a nutshell (pardon the pun) Toni Collette deftly dances between her central character, named Tara, and that woman’s other personalities, or ‘alters’: T, a petulant, hypersexed teenager; Alice, a prudish but alluring homemaker cut from Donna Reed’s cloth; Buck, her male alter who lives at the intersection of trailer trash biker and delusional Vietnam vet. And then: there’s Gimme, the feral child, an alter that screeches, cowers, destroys and even pees on sleeping relatives in the middle of the night. The show has led me...

04 April, 2009 /

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ENz2rSRG_Y] Join Me: www.thembisamshaka.com www.youtube.com/thembisamshaka www.linkedin.com/in/thembisamshaka www.blackplanet.com/thembisamshaka www.twitter.com/putyrdreams1st www.facebook.com/people/Thembisa-Mshaka/1311482391 www.handleyourentertainmentbusiness.com www.myspace.com/seeitlive...

23 March, 2009 /

At the end of last month, during a cold snap here in NYC, my neighbor’s burst pipe and flood my basement. I lost so much of my Hip Hop and music archive: many vintage copies of The Source, my massive Death Row plaque celebrating multi-platinum sales by Dre, Pac, Tha Dogg Pound and Murder Was The Case, and samples of the ad campaigns I created for Destiny’s Child Survivor among other autographed original pieces of memorabilia.   Fortunately, my husband was able to salvage a commentary I wrote over a decade ago for the now defunct BLAZE Magazine called Lil’ Kim’s Treasured...

09 March, 2009 /

It's Oscar Night for the 81st time. We've got a bonafide takeover by people of color; they just happen to be from India. Slumdog Millionaire. Shout out to Loveleen Tandan, the Indian female co-director who could not be nominated due to Oscar rules that mandate one nominee for director (which, after tonight, may need to change). 'Nuff said. This year, women of color dominate the Best Supporting Actress category. For the third time in history, we have two African American women up for Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis for 8 minutes of sheer awe-inspiring power with Meryl Streep in that scene where they take a walk...

22 February, 2009 /

After giving it some thought before I hit the keyboard, I blogged about this incident a few days ago with a call for discernment and compassion. Chris Brown has released a statement about the events that occurred on Grammy Night. “Words cannot begin to express how sorry and saddened I am over what transpired. I am seeking the counseling of my pastor, my mother and other loved ones and I am committed, with God’s help, to emerging a better person. Much of what has been speculated or reported on blogs and/or reported in the media is wrong. While I would like to...

16 February, 2009 /

Creatives need each other. For inspiration, for affirmation, for that unique connection and understanding only fellow creatives can provide. It explains in part why we collaborate, why we make moves together as communicators. [caption id="attachment_162" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="Mshaka and Jal: Learning from each other as we teach with our words."][/caption] I am drawing fresh, potent inspiration from a man of deep conviction and endless generosity: War Child author, emcee philanthropist and filmmaker Emmanuel Jal. I had the pleasure of being introduced to him by Nefertiti Strong and Richard Pelzer of MEGA Dream, who both told me he wanted to learn more about...

15 February, 2009 /

A few qualifiers to start: I do not condone domestic violence, no matter who starts it. I love and have had the privilege of working with Chris Brown. I love and am a friend of Tina Davis, who manages Chris Brown. [caption id="attachment_134" align="aligncenter" width="120" caption="Tina Davis, Founder - TDC"][/caption]     I love Rihanna. My heart aches for what she must be feeling. The incident is still under investigation, so only a few people really know what happened on Grammy night in Hancock Park. I am not addressing any rumors here; this is not a tabloid blog.   Okay. The trouble with celebrity is that we as consumers and...

12 February, 2009 /

Read as the Put Your Dreams First author speaks on the icon's work ethic and relationship to the media in Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond's examination of the megastar and her alter-ego, Sasha Fierce: http://www.villagevoice.com/2008-12-17/music/on-the-method-behind-beyonc-eacute-s-multiple-personality-madness/. Put Your Dreams First: Handle Your [entertainment] Business features three key the architects of Beyonce's brand: Columbia Records Media SVP Yvette Noel-Schure; VP of Marketing Quincy Jackson; and Beyonce's hair stylist, Kimberly Kimble. Year of Loving Dangerously: The Grammy Nomination ad Mshaka crafted for Dangerously In Love in 2004. In no other book do these equally fierce executives share their experiences in the business. Want to know how Beyonce' achieved and...

03 February, 2009 /

BOTH LISA CORTES AND MO'NIQUE ARE FEATURED IN PUT YOUR DREAMS FIRST! CONGRATULATIONS, LISA CORTES AND MO'NIQUE! What an inspiration you both are! These ladies swept the Sundance Film Festival as Executive Producer and outstanding actor respectively in PUSH. The film adaptation of Sapphire's searing novel captured The Grand Jury Prize, the Audience Prize in addition to the Special Jury Prize for Acting, awarded to Mo'Nique for her nightmarish portrayal of Mary, the lead character Clareece's abusive mother. http://festival.sundance.org/2009/film_events/films/ push_based_on_the_novel_by_sapphire Both Lisa and Mo'Nique were generous enough to share their trials, triumphs and secrets to career fulfillment in my soon-to-be-released career guide for those who...

27 January, 2009 /

Hear their lively exchange about Obama, the Black electorate, fatherhood and Put Your Dreams First on PoliticsRemixed.com here:  ' >PoliticsRemixed.com with Sai Browne After you listen, feed back. What do you think Obama's most lasting impact will be on communities of color? Comment and let me know!...

27 January, 2009 /

Just got off the phone with Dominique DiPrima, Luis, and the conscious people of Los Angeles (indeed the world with www.kjlhradio.com). We had a powerful discussion about the Oscar Grant III case. I appreciate being able to come on and speak the truth about the mobilization that has taken root in Oakland and spread across the country. Special shout to Davey D of KPFA and Dereca Blackmon of CAPE (Coalition Against Police Execution). I highlighted the need for national police reform at the federal level, effective community engagement, and the abysmal leadership failure in Oakland surrounding this case. We also noted that...

16 January, 2009 /

I was a bit put off by his sketch about Kwanzaa today. He actually got a Jewish composer to sing some bootleg Broadway cheese because he couldn't find a decent Kwanzaa song. Like Black folks couldn't be counted on to sing about their own holiday! Then I realized: It's not entirely his fault; these songs are tough to find. So I'm posting this one: it was on a Polygram promo called Mad Tidings. It was sung by Emage, a talented trio of young ladies form Oakland, Kimbre'ly Evans, Mykah Montgomery (of the jazz family of Montgomerys) and Taura Jackson--all now enjoying...

15 December, 2008 /

  by Thembisa S. Mshaka   Congratulations to our new First Family, the Obamas, and to all of America. YES WE DID!!! Talk about hope?!   America was not ready to elect John McCain, a member of the Savings and Loan scandal’s Keating Five, a volatile 72 year-old cancer survivor, whose campaign staff was riddled with the lobbyists who represent the interests of and took money from some of the very organizations seeking or receiving historic government bailouts using our tax dollars; who voted against health care for children and with Dubya over 90% of the time; and has repeatedly, proudly stated that he will ask...

05 November, 2008 /

By Thembisa S. Mshaka You may know my byline as a journalist for the original Honey, essence.com, and as editors for GAVIN, BLAZE, and TheHotness.com. If not, hopefully you will get to know me as the author of Put Your Dreams First: Handle Your [entertainment] Business--a comprehensive guide to entertainment careers from women's points of view. As a journalist-turned-author who was reluctant to blog, I had every intention of doing a nice blog intro. That was until I saw the story that broke the camel's back on female rappers going to jail. I'm new at the image uploading and all that so bear with the layout...

03 September, 2008 /