Maybe His Next Video Should Feature Gloria Steinem
Most students would be psyched to have Nelly visit their school. But not the girls of Spelman College. Tired of watching degrading images of black women on MTV and BET, students at the country's oldest black female university, said no to misogynist hip-hop videos by protesting the rapper's scheduled appearance at their school.
Nelly planned to visit Spelman for a bone marrow drive in honor of his sister who has leukemia. The students, however, threatened to protest the event because of the Grammy winner's new video "Tip Drill," which features men throwing money between young women's legs. Not exactly a spokesman for women's rights, Nelly often refers to women as "b*tches" and "hoes." The rapper even launched an energy drink earlier this year called Pimp Juice.
In an attempt to avoid a protest, the Student Government Association asked Nelly to take part in a discussion with students about his videos. The rapper took the cowardly route, though, and bailed out of the visit altogether.
So that's why candy bar commercials are so corny
Ever wonder why those soft drink and fast food ads geared to teens and twentysomethings often feature slang words that we would never say? It's because companies are hiring groups like Saurage Research in Texas to figure out who you are and what you like. Here's how they've got you pegged:
"Generation Y" a.k.a. "The Echo Boomers" (people between 2 and 26 years old) Definining traits:
"In a reversal of roles, echo boomer males are more likely to color their hair and wear jewelry while females are more likely to try their hand at hardware," states a Saurage Research study.
What you like to eat:
Deep-fried onions known as "blooming onions" or "awesome blossoms." Because they're big enough to share, and Generation Yers like to eat in groups. Uh, okay.
What's in your I-Pod:
Missy Elliott, Ashanti, and the Ataris
Who you're watching:
Sarah Michelle Gellar and South Park
Your favorite clothing spot:
Abercrombie & Fitch
"Generation X" a.k.a. "The Nomads" (people between 27 and 39 years old) Defining traits:
"There is a lot of pain and understanding in this generation," said 46-year-old Saurage Research president Susan Saurage-Altenloh.
What they're downloading:
OutKast, Eminem, Beyoncé, and the White Stripes
What's on their minds:
The fall of communism. Huh?
What they're made of:
Saurage Research states that Gen Xers can be neatly divided into four "primary attitude groups: Cynical Disdainers (primarily pessimistic about life), Traditional Materialists (seek the American dream), Hippies Revisited (express themselves through music and spirituality), Fifties Macho (are young Republicans)."
What We're Talking About This Week: The Latest Marketing Ploy to Get Teens to Smoke:
Kool cigarettes has reached a new low, going after young people with candy-flavored cigarettes like Midnight Berry and Mocha Taboo, along with a series of hip-hop DJ competitions.
Friends's Final Bow:
What will our Thursday nights be like without Rachel, Ross, Chandler, Joey, Phoebe, and Monica? Not nearly as entertaining.
Britney's Overly Publicized Love Life:
After falling for already-taken-back-up-dancer #2, we're starting to feel a little bad for Brit. She apparently didn't realize that her recent crush, Kevin Federline, had a pregnant girlfriend waiting for him at home. So embarrassing.
