New Millennium Negritude poster children

When the New Millennium Blog started, it was an attempt to practice my writing skills and build what I call my style palette. I like to imagine Bob Ross (God rest his soul) painting happy little trees in scenic landscapes on canvases while showing the viewer/participant how to mix colors to make new ones. While each painting had that Bob Ross signature, they were different in their own way. Similarly, I want my writing to be undeniably mine, but I didn't want to rely on storytelling from my own life or neglect attention to detail in areas of accuracy and research. I want to be innovative and insightful, humorous and relevant, creative and unconventional. I don't want to fall into the trap of commenting on celebrities, adding to the canon of urban gossip, complaining about issues that I cannot find a solution to, nor am I interested in taking on issues that, while significant, I am just not that interested in. Hence, my silence on Michael Phelps (although he's clearly awesome and all Millennial from the A.D.D. to the completely devoted mom to the achievement so early in life) and American foreign policy. Yet and still, I want my writing to be good, and I don't want to become a flat writer.

But here I am, my own most meticulously scrutinizing critic, avoiding my blog because I don't think I have anything noteworthy to add to the short history of posts. By the time I think I have something worth putting up, it's no longer timely. Am I becoming a perfectionist? Clearly, not my style, but perhaps I'm maturing into it. Things that make me go "hmmm..."

Anyway, after approximately 5 minutes of painstaking debate and rigorous analysis, the New Millennium Negro headquarters has selected temporary poster children for New Millennium Negritude:

<-- Usain Bolt

&

Shelly-Ann Fraser -->

Feel free to debate this with me if you'd like, but for the following reasons, I think these two fine athletes uphold the New Millennium spirit:

1) No one really saw them coming, and if you looked at their sprinting resumes, they appear inexperienced for gold medals.

2) Shelly-Ann's pure joy upon winning represents the optimism of the generation.

3) Usain's cockiness (while I think his "swagger" can be culturally attributed, and most Americans I've spoken to who compare him to Michael Phelps, just don't get it, and I'm tired of explaining it) represents the expectation for greatness that many of us have for ourselves despite being doubted and then criticized for the way we go about success.

4) Hate them (and Millennials) as you may, we are exciting to watch and easy to cheer for.

5) Usain's quote, "I like to enjoy what I do. You can't be too serious," is perfect. I've heard some, usually Xers, accuse Millennials of being doe-eyed idiots who will soon wake up to see the imperfect and cruel world for what it is and we'll stop playing around and get serious. But why? How serious should this thing called life really be taken? I'm still waiting for a convincing argument for why the fun needs to be sucked out of my life. I pay my bills. I have responsibilities. I come to work everyday. I care about my health. I am an engaged citizen, but does that mean that I can't play anymore? YOU ALREADY TOOK RECESS & NAP TIME, YOU CRUEL WORLD! DON'T TAKE AWAY FUN!

6) They're from Jamaica. C'mon. Who doesn't like Jamaica? *wink*

7) They make friends in the middle of competition:

Because we all know that "game recognize(s) game" and in the midst of a serious competition, American sprinter Wallace Spearmon (far left) and Jamaica's Usain Bolt (center) have become friends. I think that's great. Why not? I was discussing with the friend last night that Wallace and Usain should have a reality show called "Off Track" and that it would be an international success! It should be on ESPN and follow them through training and competition from now until the next Olympic games in London. They should add that Chinese sprinter whose Achilles tendon kept him from the final too. (My heart really goes out to that guy.) That show would be HOT! Clearly there would be shenanigans, but it would be great for the athletes, for fans and for the sport. You don't believe me? Track and field needs a bolt (pun intended), so says me and The New York Times.

And now a word about hip hop, the industry, not the culture. Forbes has published a list of hip hop's cash kings. The top 3 are all Xers, all men, and all about business. Their wealth is not in being entertainers. They've "graduated" from rapping. They own labels, clothing lines, colognes, whatever... Shout out to 50Cent, Jay-Z and Diddy... Oh, I mean Curtis "50Cent" Jackson, Shawn Carter, and Sean "Diddy Combs" because apparently one re-earns one's government names when one enters a new government-mandated tax bracket. (Whatever.) Coming in at number 4, is the NMN I love to hate to love, Bro. Kanye, who has recently accepted my application into Broke Phi Broke. Kanye West is a case study in New Millennium Negritude. He's someone's thesis waiting to happen.

As usual, please remember this New Millennium Negro when considering worthy causes. Posts may be few and far between over the next few days as I must find a way to pay my institute of higher earning ("l" omitted intentionally) for services rendered this summer. I'd like to thank everyone who nominated this blog for the 2008 Black Weblog Awards. Unfortunately, NMN was not selected as a finalist, but I really appreciate the support. I know in my heart that NMN is the blog to watch!

Until the next...

m dot