Happy 2009, We're Right On TIME!

Wassup my faithful flock? This is it. You know I love and cherish every last one of you-- and every chance I get, I'mma make sure you know that! **MUAH**! This year has been quite a doozy for me, filled with ups, downs, highs, lows, love, pain, misery, silence, excitement, joy-- the works! But through it all, my biggest pride is this site. Graduating from High School, being independet, graduating from college, getting my first apartment, my first car, first job, etc-- PALES in comparison to the joy and accomplishment I feel for this site. Thank you readers for making this worthwhile for me (and please, please pleeease comment more! I know you're out there... LOL). Thanks to all my readers for the positive e-mails, words of encouragement, words of admiration, and tips! Please keep them coming & thanks!!! We are doing even BIGGER things in 2009, and I know you will ride with me all the way to the top! I've figured out a few resolutions that I have to make in order to ensure my success this year, and they are as follows:

-I will follow my heart no matter what anyone says I can or cannot do.
-I will follow-through with grad-school and get my degree.
-I will keep in touch with my family more often.
-I will run 4 times a week (like I used to) or renew my gym membership (whichever is easier).
-I will expect and demand reciprocation from the people in my life I care about.
-I will dedicate everything I have to this site-- even on days when I'm sick, lazy or uninspired.
-I will give up crushing on the guy that I truly adore (who is totally wrong for me). (!!!!!)
-I will count my blessings everyday.
-I will pray to GOD even when I don't need anything.
-I will visit the darn dentist and get that molar fixed....smh.
-I will stay on my grown-woman shit!!!
-I will give up my bad-habits... (for real this time, lol)
-I will focus on the positives in my life.
-I will network and nuture relationships with more bloggers.
-I will be the best damn me, I can be!

In short my friends... Oh-NINE IS MINE! Look out for me-- this year "it" happens!

Have a wonderful, awesome, inspiring, bubbly and safe New Year's today! While y'all are out getting drunk and partying-- ya girl is working wait-staff at Cipriani's fpr T.I's private party... Hey, they're payin a grip and I have a nice apt to pay for... and might have a touch of shop-oholic-philia... What can I say??? You always have to grind. Anyway, be safe & remember: CCW loves you!

Say What???

So... I've been trying to avoid this story all week, but it's just been gnawing at me... I figure I'd give my 2 cents... So apparently in this month's Elle Magazine, Beyonce has proven she's lost her damn mind by saying the following:

“I grew up upper class. Private school. My dad had a Jaguar. We’re African-American and we work together as a family, so people assume we’re like The Jacksons. But I didn’t have parents using me to get out of a bad situation."

Good lawd, there are so many things wrong with that statement, where do I begin? Not only did her father allegedly use DC profits for an expensive drug habit, but it was also noted that certain members of DC were cheated out of money by him... Additionally, we all know that he quit his job to manage her group-- so clearly he NEEDED Destiny's Child to maintain their "expensive" lifestyle. How is that any different from what Beyonce alleges the Jackson family did? Oh, I know-- the Jackson family actually used their talent to get out of a poverty-stricken neighborhood in Gary, IN, whereas Matthew Knowles was just a greedy, snorting bastard-- lol... Harsh, I know-- but this quote SERIOUSLY got on my nerves. And I'm not the only one-- apparently Janet is REALLY upset about this, and she should be. If it wasn't for the Jackson family and the many color barriers they broke there wouldn't BE A BEYONCE. So she really needs to watch her mouth, and stop talking about other people's families... Sheesh! Apparently Janet is not happy, and will have some choice words for Beyonce in the media sometime soon.... Can't wait!

Just So You Know...

Kanye wants you to know that he's not crazy... Really he's not, and he's tired of the media (ahem ahem) portraying him as some looney coo-coo crazy type. Media Take Out had reported that Kanye "chants" to get the evil spirits away, and on his blog, he completely denies the accusations, and clears up some other things for us too:

IGNORANCE!

I want y'all to look closely at the face of ignorance above, and please let your memory-receptors soak in every iota. This kid is a fool. Clearly, Soulja Boy is doing anything he can to stay relevant, and I guess dissing Nas is part of the ultimate plan. This fool claims that Nas is most likely responsible for the demise of his career and others in the rap game. Forget the fact that Soulja Boy's lyrics makes 5 year olds say, "Damn son, you couldn't come up with anything more compex than this???" But I digress. Check out what he had to say about Nas' "Hip Hop Is Dead": (thanks Dr. Drew!)

“Real talk, the n*gga that killed hip-hop was Nas,” Soulja Boy says in the video . “He came out publicly and said, ‘Hip-Hop is dead,’ and then after that everybody started saying hip-hop is dead. ‘Cause think about it, if Nas would have never said hip-hop is dead, then motherf*ckers would have never thought anything about it.” Soulja Boy went on to dig himself a bigger hole saying “He probably wasn’t feeling how the music was going. He came out and killed everybody’s money. He killed his own career with that sh*t. He shoulda thought about that sh*t though.” If that wasn’t enough, Mr. Crank Dat finished by saying “You see how George Bush f*cked up America, it’s the same way Nas did with hip-hop. N*gga came out with Hip-Hop Is Dead and f*cked up everything. But you see how Lil’ Wayne came right back and sold a million albums in a week and proved Nas wrong.”

Is he an idiot, or what. Either you are saying that Nas killed hip hop, and no one is selling albums, or you're saying that it's not true and Lil' Wayne's success has proven that. You can't say both-- immbecile! Where is Stewie Griffin and his gamma-ray gun when you need him?



Nas' abstract take on hip hop was exactly what the genre needed to wake up, get on their grind and make powerful music. And that's exactly what happened. Artists like Lil' Wayne are testements to that fact. The idea that "hip hop is dead" was merely a wake up call. Why would Nas say hip-hop is dead, yet continue to rap? Ugh... Soulja Boy, go play in some traffic on a 6-lane highway! Geez.

You Decided...

After many votes (that I truly appreciate) , 50% of you decided that Michelle Obama was undoubtedly the woman of the year. I second that notion. With all the help she provided on the campaign trail, not to mention the inspiration, elegance and poise she has bestowed on us all since her emergence-- it truly has been her year. Kudos to you Michelle! You will be a stunning and awesome first lady. We can't wait to welcome you with open arms!

As for the rest of the votes, Oprah got absolutely no love from y'all with 0% of the vote for this year's "it" person. Rihanna got runner up with 27% of the vote. I can't lie, you couldn't run from this girl this year, and she single-handedly made Chris Brown just as universally relevant as she has become. It still amazes me because although she poses great beauty, humility and a great stylist (lol), she lacks much more than that. Her dancing is... Eehhhhhh. Her singing is average at best. But hey, that's pop life for you!

Moving on to the third vote was our girl Beyonce. She has had several years as the "it" girl it's high time she stepped aside and let someone else take the reigns. Bey, you are beautiful and talented but we'd love for you to settle down with your husband and pop out some beautiful babies. Take a lil' sabbatical. I'd love to miss you just for a minute. Your impact and talent aren't going anywhere, you can always pick up where you left off. I promise!

And there you have it y'all. Your voice, and your vote have once again spoken on CCW. I appreciate your participation in my polls, and I encourage you to always voice your opinions-- it matters dearly to me. Thanks again for being such awesome readers, and doing your part. Look out for the next poll coming.... NOW!

Our Daily Dose of That Crazy Lil' Kanye...

You gotta love Yeezy. With all his ups and downs, triumphs and blunders-- the man just makes life interesting-- and 90% of the time he looks damn good doing it too... I'm hatin' hard on his touch letterman jacket right about now in the pic above of him in Katsuya in LA this weekend. Word on the street is crazy-man Kanye was going around town saying that after a week in fashion design school, he is ready to dress the likes of Obama. Word? For serious 'Ye? We must have missed something-- lol.

Oh, and remember that little debacle on SNL last week with all the horrible singing and lip-synching? Well now word is Kanye is chanting some randomness everyday to keep the "evil spirits away". Apparently these are the same evil spirits that took his singing talent away, and he will do anything to get rid of them. Whoa there witch doctor... Whoa.

Eeeeeek!

Guess who crawled out of the swamp and decided to make a cameo appearance in the French Riviera this weekend. None other than the most sought-after fashionista herself-- DONATELLA VERSACE! She looks like a whithered old piece of beef jerky. This is so not ok... Looks like she just spent 20 hours slathered in butter skidding across a human-sized frying pan... SMH.

J.Lo & Marc's Swan Song...

According to several media outlets, J. Lo and Marc Anthony plan to go out in style. Apparently their rocky romance is coming to an end, and they want to officially announce it-- ironically during Marc's February 14th concert at Madison Square Garden. The pair figured it would be a bittersweet way to go out... I just find it plain strange, but hey, they have kids, so whatever keeps them civil, I'm all for it. 'Tis a shame though, 'tis a shame... I wonder who J. Lo's next victim will be. It clearly has to be someone hot, relevant, and A-list to help boost her dwindling career. Or maybe she will even rekindle something with good ol' Diddy? Who knows?? The saga never ends in La VIDA LOPEZ!

Eartha Kitt Passes On....

As most of us celebrate Christmas with our families today, one famous family is not so fortunate. Singer, dancer, and sex-symbol extraordinaire, Earth Kitt died today of complications due to colon cancer.She passed today at 81 years old. Kitt grew up in rural South Carolina, and rose in the ranks of fame to become a symbol of sensuality and elegance the world over. She was married to William McDonald, and they had a daughter-- Kitt McDonald. She was popularly known for her role as Catwoman in the Batman series. I still remember Eartha from her stint in "Boomerang" when she was all up in Eddie Murphie grill-piece, lol. As a little girl, I always thought she was so beautiful, exotic and glamorous. My heart goes out to her and her family this holiday...

AWWWWWWWWWWWWW.

The Legendary Ms. Britney Spears and her cute lil' family want to wish us all a very merry Christmas!!! Isn't that special, y'all? Gotta love it!

Does "Supa C" Stand For Supa CORN?

Ciara is coming out with a new album entitled "Fantasy Ride", and she wants us all to know that she has a new image, but it's NOT an alter-ego a la Beyonce... Ciara teamed up with DC Comics to make a character that represented her: "Supa C". Although Ciara came out with a single months ago, her album was pushed back and she was supposedly asked to "go back to the drawing board" on that one. Well, if her music is anything like this outfit-- I'd say do-overs too! Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, Mulligan!

Kanye West Lip Synchs.

As the old adage goes, every dog has his day-- and apparently Saturday night was Kanye's. Kanye performed last week on SNL to a huge anticipating audience. Little did he know he was about to reach the ranks of Ashlee Simpson, and Mariah Carey on the top-5 lip synch blunders of all time list. In the video below, Kanye struggles painfully through "Love Lockdown". He even has an offstage singer help him during some "tough" areas. See, kids? This is what happens when your arrogant. When you go around saying how great you are, and how innovative you are, and how you deserve every award there is to offer. This is what happens when you sing an entire album using a vocoder, and when it comes time to perform you have to face the fact that you can't sing. This is reality folks. Reality 2008. WATCH:

New Beyonce: DIVA

Beyonce has done it again with her latest single off her album: "I am.... Sasha Fierce". This new song is called "Diva", and I looooooove it! This right here knocks. It's a spin-off of the ever-sampled, ever-remixed "A millie" beat. With the hard beat in the back, with Bey's vocals, this is certainly going to be her 3rd hit off this album. I'm a totally and completely a closeted Beyonce fan... Y'all got me!



And.... Because I love you-- here is another new video (does this chick ever sleep????). Check out Beyonce's "HALO":

I HEART Little Jackie!

...And so should you. Imani Coppola and Adam Pallin make up the new pop group, "Little Jackie". They have a single out now (which I absolutely adore) called "The World Should Revolve Around Me"-- from their new album "The Stoop". You can check it out below. Imani was born in a not-so-nice neighborhood in Long Island to an Italian father and Black mother. Life was not easy, and she never quite "fit in"... I LOVE people who don't "fit in". They always end up being the most creative, interesting and unforgettable people you meet. Imani is definitely that. She started her recording career in 1997 when she was signed to Columbia Records, with "Legend of a Cowgirl", but was not able to make a big enough impact, so she was dropped.. SMH @ stupid record companies-- lol. I Anyway, she has linked up with Adam, and they make a great team. Their sound is very pop-retro and fun. My personal favorites off their new album include, "Black Barbie" and "I Liked You Better Before". Imani now lives in the Bedford-Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn, NYC. Her surroundings undoubtedly influence her sound. If you haven't heard her yet-- your madd late. GO COP THAT... and WATCH:

Rihanna To Do Inauguration...

Sorry, Bey, but I guess Barack already made his choice (LOL). According to Extra Tv, Rihanna is going to be performing at the Presidential Inauguration on January 20th. Most people thought he would have chosen Jennifer Hudson (who, like Barack, reps for Chicago)-- or even Beyonce. I guess Rihanna won the popular vote, but we will see in the next days and weeks if anyone else is added to this bill. This is what EXTRA had to say:

The Good Girl Gone Bad will hit the stage for the Recording Industry Association of America's Presidential Inauguration Charity Ball, which benefits Feeding America -- the largest hunger relief organization in America.

"Rihanna's always willing to help out -- she's a good girl," a source reveals to People magazine. Vicki Escarra, president and CEO of Feeding America, adds, "We could not be happier that Rihanna will be performing at the Inauguration charity ball to benefit Feeding America."

Good for her!

Got Dat New-New for You-You.

I randomly caught Lily Allen's new video on Myspace. I think the concept is fun, and the video is fun as well. It reminds me of Alice in Wonderland, which is one of my favorite movies, so I just HAD to post this... Enjoy!

The Fear video

CCW's BEST Dressed of 2008

Now this is TRULY my favorite part of the year. Giving props to those who had unshakable swagger, innovation, style, creativity and flavor this year. There were quite a few-- it took me a minute to narrow it down, but I think I got something going here. Check it:



Both Kanye and John Legend brought gentleman style with a Euro-flavor that was still relevant to their urban style and attitude. Clean fitted button-downs and blazers were the recipe for this A-class meal! MMMMMMMMMMM.



No best-dressed list would be complete without the lovely Rihanna Fenty. However, I am giving most of these props to her amazing stylist and team (courtesy of Marc Jacobs). Rihanna gets all the praise, and her team rarely does. They are the brains behind the beauty! Kudos!



Nicole Richie gets my vote for sure. She has transformed from pudgie-druggie-washed-up-mess to skinny-druggie-washed-up-mess to slim, toned, beautifully-stylish mother and girlfriend. Her bohemian style mixed with modern flair is what gives her the edge. Good job girl!



Robin Thicke has always struck me as a smooth operator. A savvy, sexy, smooth type of guy. I can only tell you that this is all from the images he portrays in his music and style. I don't know him personally, but his style speaks for itself. It's stunning, classic, sexy, modern. It's fabulous!



Kerry Washington is my girl. Not only for being a New York native, but for being simply breath-taking. Her looks are modest and simple, but her style is so glamorous and swaggerific, you just have to stare. And I will-- shoot, someones gotta take notes... right?



Anne Hathaway is a gem. Her creamy-white complexion against her dark hair makes her look like a porcelain doll. Her huge eyes and friendly features completes the look. Her style is Old Hollywood glam, and she does it right. She always chooses lines that compliment her figure, and colors that compliment her light complexion. She's got the formula that works!



Clearly Victoria Beckham is a style-maven that is always ahead of the pack. Before Rihanna was choppin' off her locks, it's Vic that brought the asymetrical bob back from the obscurity of the 80's. Posh's style is sleek, modern, fresh and daring. That's why she's so damn FIERCE! Go girl!



Ryan Leslie gets an honorable mention (because he's new to the game). He has a polished, retro-style that is timeless and always classy. When I look at him, he reminds me of how I'd picute my ideal man to dress like. Clean, polished, tailored and coordinated-- Ryan's got it!

And that my friends, concludes our list of the most swaggerific guys and gals in 2008. Sure, I'm leaving out a bunch of people, but I'm only human! Hope you enjoyed it... Shoot, ya might see ya girl on some "best" lists in the near future-- don't sleep!

CCW's Worst Dressed of 2008

Well people, it had to be done. And unfortunately, I'm the one who had to do it. Check out who made most lists for worst-dressed of 2008:




Oh, Andre Leon Tacky.... I feel like I don't know you at all anymore....SMH




Christina, Christina... She's never seen a polyester-blend-magenta-thinga-ma-bobby that she never liked....



Phoebe Price & Bobby Trendy knew what they were doing... These are two of the most fabulously lousy outfits I've ever seen, and this pic has been circling the web for a while. Thing is, they are so bad-- it's almost good... You KNOW they must have done this on purpose... Or at least we hope!



We been through this Mariah-- stop dressing like a 13 year old hoochie from 1984. This is just a reminder...



Janet has her moments-- and granted this is a performance outfit-- but it's still hideous. Performance or not-- there's just no excuse for this gold-lamay mess... Sheesh!



Ahhhhh Aubrey, the girl they love to hate. I like this girl's attitude, but her stylist is a Nazi-- she must replace them pronto! What is this???



Anna Wintour--the single-most requested ultimate-diva in global fashion has made a BOMB. A terrible one, and I had to take the opportunity to put her on blast because she rarely makes a mistake. Yeaaaaaaaah. Feels good. Ha.

Honestly guys, this is the part of the job I hate the most (lol)-- just kidding. I LOVE fashion critique, because everyone's a critic! I actually admire and love those people who step out of the fashion-lines and make life interesting. It's not easy to express yourself in a way that you know won't be accepted by the masses, and there is something very COOL about that. So my friends, although I criticize you, I also applaud you.. The mavericks (and misfits) of fashion!

Fierce!

Mr. West was looking quite appealing and utterly swaggerific this week when he attended a FLAUNT MAGAZINE event in Los Angeles. Initially I loved ye's style, but eventually he began to throw me off with those smedium Pastelle three-quarter length sweaters and hoodies... I love the university jackets, and full-sleeve jump-offs:



...But some of those pieces were miiiiighty snug there... IN any case, it seems like he's back on top again with this ensemble...Scrumptious! And what's more, he looks so much happier these days. It's good to see him out in the mix and smiling again. I know the anniversary of his mother's death past about a month or so ago. And his latest album is good, but very depressing. I guess being fresh-to-death can keep a smile on any face! Chuuuuuuuch.

"She's Making My LIfe Miserable..."

...Well apparently. According to Us Weekly reports, J. Lo and Marc-Anthony are on the outs. She was spotted recently without Marc, and without her wedding ring. Basically, the article claims that Jennifer feels that Marc has reduced her to a simple Long Island housewife, from her former life as a diva-pop-star-super-mogul. They claim his controlling ways are driving her to the edge. Additionally, Marc has been said to be very frustrated as well. He was seen on Thanksgiving without his wife, cuddled up with some thick ol' chick in Vegas. He was apparently overheard telling a group of women " She's [my wife's] making me miserable. For shame. They just finsihed spawning off those alien babies. Hopefully, this is just another silly little rumor. It's the holidays, get it together people!

I Been GONE For A Minute..

...but I'm BACK wit the JUMP OFF! Whattup faithful flock? You know I love you dearly, I truly do. Sorry to keep y'all waiting so long, but it's hard in these city streets. I had to become a hustler in a moments notice, and add a couple occupations to my resume. Along with writer, I am now a publicist! With two awesome clients! Gotta get that paper y'all... But I digress. I've been very busy. I got a graphic designer who made a wicked logo for this site, that I will premiere VERY soon. I am also working on getting my new webpage up by next month (www.coolcruelworld.com), so we can all celebrate at my CCW-LAUNCH Bash in NYC. I will be throwing a party on January 20th in Manhattan. All my local NY readers, please be sure to come out, I'd LOOOOVE to meet all of you! More details to come...

Last week was a doozie, but I had enough time to enjoy myself. One of my good friends Dan-- master of the one and only Elitaste.com, hooked me up with tickets to the Wale show last week. Wale ripped it! He did all his hits, and his hardcore fans were feeling it. The place was packed, and he shocked us all when he brought out Freeway and Ryan Leslie. It was dope! Big shouts to Dan and Wale for making it a great night! If you don't know, now you know. Check up on Wale, as he is one of the hottest new hip-hop acts out-- co-signed by everyone from Kanye to Lupe and everyone in between. Go cop that!


Wale looking tired as hell after a great set:




Freeway grillin, and me unable to keep a straight face, smh:

Just In Case You Missed It..

...and if so-- you were clearly living under a rock. This has got to be undoubtedly, one of the most triumphant moments in foreign relations-history! George Dubya made a surprise appearance in Iraq over the weekend, where he was greeted with open arms... Sort of. IN the video below, Bush gets 2 shoes thrown at him by a disgruntled Iraqi journalist. You can hear him shouting: "This is a farewell kiss, dog!"

Apparently in the Arab-world, throwing a shoe at someone is a very deep sign of disrespect... The thing I don't get is-- why does it have to be in the "Arab-world"? Shoot, if someone in my hood threw their Timberland at me, you better believe it would be world war III in that piece! But I digress... Check out the madness below:

The Show MUST GO On...

All you hardcore "Real Housewives of Atlanta" fans, fear not! Your dreams and wishes have now been fulfilled. In an unprecedented ploy for ratings, BRAVO has decided to renew the show for a 2nd season. From "white girl" Kim's horrible weave and even worse singing voice-- to NeNe's "broke ass", we should be in for some treats! Check out your local tv listings for the date and time of the premiere. I'm BAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!

Cool Deejay, Hot Music!

An image of the Legendary DJ RHUMBLE with one of his fans after a great set

Y'all know I always gotta hit you with the exclusives, and this is no different. I got one of the hottest mixtapes in the world right now, given to me by the legendary DJ RHUMBLE of Miami (by way of Brooklyn, NYC). He's been burning up the night scene out there for a minute, as well as doing lots of media in NYC and elsewhere. This mixtape has new exclusive tracks by: LL Cool J, Scarface, Black Milk, and 50 Cent. If you're a true hip-hop fan, you NEED this in your IPOD right now! Go get that! You can get all the exclusives by clicking this link HERE!


Now.. One day, if y'all are good-- I'mma tell you the amazing story of how I met Rhumble, and how we became fast friends! Stay tuned...

You Can't. Be. Serious.

And now... Staright fromt he WTF files, I present to you the very talented-- TINA TURNER!!!! I spotted this "gem" over at Dlisted.com and I had to share it with you all... I have always given props to Tina because she is pushing 80, has legs of a goddess and truly is the Queen of rock n' roll. Eff it-- the Queen of MUSIC PERIOD. But this is an outrage. Who allowed her to roll up on stage looking like one of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's rejects? Oh no, this is totally unacceptable under all circumstances. That whole "Battlefield Earth" look has got to go....


See? That's better!