America's Next Black Leader (The Reality Series):

 Comin' For that #1 Spot

Ya'll been eatin' long enough now stop bein' greedy
Just keep it real partna, give to the needy
Grips are touchin, don't make me wait
Mess around I'm gonna bite you and snatch the plate
Stop Being Greedy-DMX

If you get a room full of Black folks together to talk about the condition of our community, you can bet that the hottest topic of the evening will be "what the heck is wrong with Black leadership?" Many would probably argue that all Black leaders need to be put on the unemployment line, quick fast and in a hurry. But at the end of the night, the question is, if all the high profile Black leaders packed up and moved to a small island in the South Pacific, then what? Who would take their places? Who you gonna call when you get fired from your job at Mickie Dee's for jackin' up a customer for callin' you the "N" word because his fries were too greasy. Who you gonna call when lil Tyrone gets expelled from school for tellin' Mrs. Horowitz that Columbus Day is a ***** lie and ole Abe Lincoln really didn't free no ***** slaves! After all the complaining, you can best believe that if you ask for volunteers to step up and solve the 99 problems facing every Brotha and Sista in America, you will hear a pin drop....

 

That is why we are starting the first youtube.com reality series "America's Next Black Leader." If you aren't satisfied with the current condition of Black leadership then "you" have the opportunity to become America's next Black leader. http://www.youtube.com/nextblackleader 

 

Many of us truly believe that we need a regime change at the top. Real talk, how many more times do you really want to see "Count Coolout" show up to accept the apology of a racist bigot on behalf of 12 million angry Black folks. How many more conferences do we really want to see on C-Span with the same ole folks whinin' about the same things that they were whinin' about since before your mom's was born?

 

At some point, the testimony that "I marched with Dr. King" stops being a badge of honor and becomes a strong indicator that you need to sit down somewhere. Based on the condition of the Black community, our movement is sick but instead of the doctor suggesting that the heads of the movement retire, he just prescribes some "Civil Rights Viagra" so they can keep marchin', singin' and prayin' till the cows come home...

 

Don't get me wrong, I am not disrespecting those of the Civil Rights era but they really don't seem to be reachin' this "Hip Hop Generation." And since some of today's hottest rappers are now knockin' on 40's door, if you ask a young Brotha about dissin' the elders watch him say "I do respect the elders, ...Jay Z’s my dawg!!!"

 

Times have changed and the idea of a multi millionaire rap artist in 2007, riding a round in a $1000,000 luxury jeep blasting "WE Shall Overcome, one day" just seems kind oxymoronic...  Although many hate to admit it, the NAACP has been in need of a drastic make over for decades. Excuse my language but that group has been a perfect candidate for "Pimp My Civil Rights Organization" for years...

 

And although the old guard Civil Rights leader's always challenge the young folks with the cliche " no one is going to hand you the mantle of leadership, you have to take it" you can believe that if you ever got close enough to lay a finger on the scepter, they would be hollerin' for security!

 

While age may be an issue, it is really about old ideas that need an update and just because a new face comes along, it does not mean that he/she will effectively deal with issues disproportionately affecting Black folks...Even Obama, with his message of "one America inclusiveness" has yet to prove when it comes down to it, will he rep the Hamptons or tha hood , Harvard or Howard, high dollar estates or high rise tenement buildings...

 

But the question remains, although you may be able to stand on your soapbox and complain about Black leaders, can you do any better? On the surface, being a Black leader seems to be a cool job. Look at the fringe benefits, wearing thousand dollar suits, riding around in stretch limos and rubbin' elbows with the rich and famous. But leading Black people ain't no picnic. Can you imagine having hundreds of angry Black folks blowin' up your Blackberry, everyday, with their personal problems. Just think about that lady that sits next to you at work and her Monday morning drama. Now, multiply that by a thousand...Get the visual???

 

But if you feel that you are sharper than Sharpton, bring more action than Jackson and create more drama than Obama, this is what we need you to do...Go to http://www.youtube.com/group/nextblackleader and upload a video of yourself explaining what you would do as America's next Black leader. You can post a speech, rap, poem or better yet, a video of you actually doing things in the community which you believe a real Black leader should do. People across the country will vote by "favoriting" who the next Black leader should be on youtube. The winner will be announced April 4, 2007, the anniversary of the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

 

Now, I know some of ya'll are saying that you don't have the time to upload videos and stuff , but if you could take time to upload that video of Tina tha Tacky Stripper for that new BET reality show "Hot Ghetto Mess", then you should have no problem taking part in "America's Next Black Leader."  But even if you can't post a video, you can participate in the discussion section.

 

It's 2007, Brothers and Sisters and we don't need another Hot Ghetto Mess, we need Black leadership at its best.

 

TRUTH Minista Paul Scott represents the MessianicAfrikan Nation in Durham NC.

For more info about "America's Next Black Leader" go to nextblackleader@yahoo.com