According to Yahoo! Sports, Harris contacted his then future school, Michigan State, to tell his  coaches that he would not be joining the team after all. Apparently his school was already skeptical after they reviewed his material ahead of time and were ready to dismiss him anyway. “John Lewandowski, Michigan State’s associate athletic director/communications who confirmed the news”, said that the choice to not work with Harris was mutual. Michigan State thought Harris’  lyrics are “quite explicit in his raps, oftentimes smoking marijuana and mentioning drugs, women and homosexuals” ( which is really nothing out of the ordinary from any other rapper out there).

Now I know that there are plenty of people that have been successful without the aid of a college degree BUT I don’t think it was necessarily good for Harris to close his window of opportunity before he ever got to feel the breeze from it. I understand that people have to follow their dreams but I refuse to believe that every young Black males’ dream in America is to become a rapper or professional athlete (its beside my point but Harris was already on the road to one but he cut himself short lol). I’m convinced that this is a fad that has yet to blow over. Nowadays, I know everyone thinks they can just make a YouTube video, go viral and become a sensation over night but that doesn’t happen for everyone and this kid, well, I just don’t see it for him.

I think that everyone should peruse what’s in their hearts but I want the Black community to know that you don’t have to be in the music, entertainment or sports industry in order to be successful. I’m a successful Black man with my own business and practice and I’d like to think that I’m doing pretty well for myself (pats self on back). Sure, a rap career may get you on the fast tract to money but at least make sure you’re talented enough to sustain yourself especially if you’ve turned something down in place of it.

As Black people, especially our males, the odds are already stacked against us in more ways than one. America is the land of opportunity but it’s also the land filled with loop-holes, racism and corruption and a lot of times its more challenging for members of the Black community to navigate through those obstacles. With that being said, and not to imply that Harris was in need or poverty stricken but why would slap away a hand that’s extended to help and better you and your future?

I would personally choose college over a rap career any day because of the knowledge and skill sets learned there that I would and should if you’re committed to learning, obtain. If someone wants to do music that’s great but a career is not guaranteed and there’s no safety net to fall back on like the options a college degree opens up.

Anyway, that’s my take on the matter but what do you think? Should Jay Harris have taken his football scholarship or based on the video, do you think he has a successful rap career ahead?

Dr. O

Picture source: http://www.healthforall.org.uk/?pid=20

The post Rap Career vs. College Education: College Hopeful Gives Up Football Offer for Budding Rap Music appeared first on AskDrO.com.

OKAY!!!.. . I have heard it all, today.  Jaden, 14 years old, Will and Jada Smith’s oldest child together wants to be emancipated from his parents. Both Jaden and younger sister Willow have followed in the footsteps of their parents.  Pursuing star studded roles in the entertainment industry.  Ranging from playing lead roles in box office hit movies to singing and recording with some of the industries leading artist. These kids are definitely on the move.  Their recent success as child entertainers has not been stunted in anyway. They continue to succeed in all avenues of their life, thanks to their parents.  So it shocked me to hear, 14 year old, Jaden state he would like to be emancipated from his parents.  Who is raising who is the question?

Courtesy of Black Media Scoop

This news was released in a recent interview in British Tabloid The Sun0 of Will Smith.  Will stated as a gift for his upcoming 15th Birthday in July that he wanted to live in his own place.  Will does not come off as a push over type of parent.  So I am hoping he addressed this innocent request with the appropriate response. Will stated that he raised his children with the option to make their own decisions. So he understands the backlash that may come with this parenting style.  But does warns his children of the consequences of their decisions.  It will be interesting to see how this story unfolds.

Let me know what you think about this hot topic.  Should Will and Jada allow their son to raise himself and figure out the consequence of life on his own?  Or  should the put a stop to this foolishness ahead of time?

Enough Said,

Dr. O

The post Update! Will Smith’s Son Wants to be Emancipated From His Parents? appeared first on AskDrO.com.

I could feel their heaviness as they began to share. I had to hold back my tears because I just did not know what they shared. Yes, it is real and what they shared was that even though we saw this in our small Morehouse-Spelman world, the problems of sexual violence and sexual harassment is much better than what we have been talking about lately. The “Silence was Broken for Me.” I thank God for this opportunity to sit and be educated. To sit and feel. To sit and not be judgmental. To sit and feel someone else’s pain. They forced me to come out of my world in Buckhead and come into the reality of what is theirs world. They told me, in so many words, remove the veil off of your eyes and allow the clock to go tick-tock.

Take Home Point for me

• We need to have more open discussions on college campuses about this issue

If you need to talk confidentially, my office is available for you. Please call us at 404-575-4785. I have also written a book , “Am I in a Bad Relationship?” It can be found at www.askdro.com. It only really touches the surface of what has been revealed to us in the media and through this.  Please check out my article about the sexual assault allegations  entitled: OMG! Say it Aint So… 4 Morehouse Students Arrested for Sexual Assault

The post The Silence is Broken: Spelhouse Relationships Under Fire! appeared first on AskDrO.com.

We informed you last week about the two young men involved in the Virgina State University hazing fiasco. One drowned while trying to cross a river as part of the initiation and the other has yet to be found. Now Georgia has it’s hand in it too. Young Harris College has a lawsuit against it “accusing it of “reckless indifference, to a widespread and well-known culture of abusive and sexually charged hazing”. According to 11 Alive, a freshman spoke out about the hazing rituals at the school after going through the process for four days. Now, I know that many of my readers have probably been to college, so you and I both know what goes on on a college campus.

We’ve all seen those sorority and fraternity hopefuls  acting funny, wearing odd things, creeping around at night, hearing about a secret meeting or possibly appear with mysterious bruises that they didn’t have the night before.  But it’s all hush, hush so people just go about their day. Well after four days of haze, Jo Hannah Burch, came forward with what was happening behind the scenes on campus. However, the school is denying it, even after the president of the school, Cathy Cox, supposedly admitted her knowledge of the situation. I’m siding with Jo Hannah on this. I absolutely believe this was happening at her school just like it’s happening on other campuses across the country.

According to 11 Alive, the school has a no hazing policy but the president allegedly told Burch’s dad that “these things happen. It’s been going on on our campus.’”In the video, sexual hazing such as imitating intercourse and being judged in your birthday by males fraternity brothers, were also a part of the things “going on” at the campus. So the president knew about it and ignored it? Would it have taken someone to die or raped for her to have taken action upon finding out the first time? The sorority involved was suspended as a whole, but the individuals responsible were left unscathed. So really all that did was pause the hazing process or if you think about it this way, give them more time to come with ideas for the next initiation.

I don’t know about you, but I would consider hazing as domestic (I use domestic since this happens at colleges and universities where kids live and are often hazed together to supposedly form bonds) abuse and I think you should second my notion. Again, look at the similarities between the signs of hazing and abuse. When people are being abused at home, many keep quiet and try to hide the evidence. They don’t follow the advice of TELLING SOMEONE. Why? Because they think he’ll stop, or he’ll change or he loves me. They still love the person and want it to work out so they stay. Same thing with these sororities and fraternities. The people that want to join them put up with hazing because they think it’s what has to happen in order for them to be apart of the group. They think, “oh, they chose me to be in this organization, so now I have to put up with whatever they dish out if I want them to accept me”, WRONG.

People don’t have to put up with hazing just like people don’t have to endure an abusive relationship. You can choose whether or not to stay with your abuser just like you can chose to be in an organization once you find out the requirements for joining. I’m sure that 19 year old, Marvell Edmonson wasn’t willing or expecting to die in order to be a part of “Men of Honor” just like I’m sure most people in abusive relationships are not suspecting that their mate would kill them after an argument over who they were talking to on the phone.

I applaud the Young Harris student for speaking up about her school’s underground issue. Someone could have easily died in this hazing incident just like they did in others.

Who wants to shed some light one this? Any sorority/fraternity members reading? Hazing deaths seem to be getting more common nowadays. Has the process of hazing gotten worse in the last 10-20 years? Or were people dying for membership back then too?

Tell me your thoughts about these hazed and confused individuals. Send me your comments below.

After you comment, click here to purchase my book, “Am I in a Bad Relationship?” to learn how to deal, adjust and get out of unhealthy relationships.

Dr.O

Picture source: http://www.theamericanresident.com/2011/06/do-you-really-want-a-kidnap-party/

The post Hazed and Confused: Should Hazing be Considered a Form of Domestic Violence? appeared first on AskDrO.com.

Now, we have a new President and it is my opinion that he is not going to tolerate the foolishness and nepotism that has existed at my Dear Ole’ Morehouse. President  John Wilson, Jr. it is clean-up time. It appears that our school has entered into the dark ages, but out of oblivion we shall rise. Yes, I am angry because you know that this issue is going to be spread like wildfire all over the HBCU community and Academic Community as a whole. The details are somewhat sketchy but you can beat your bottom dollar,I will personally keep you posted on this issue.

Here are the facts so far:

•  According to reports, 4 Morehouse College students were arrested in April for sexual assault.
• CBS Atlanta is reporting that, “Malcolm Jamal Frank, Tevin Mgbo, Chukwudi Ndudikwa, and Lucien Kidd were arrested in April.”
• The Atlanta Police Department told Cascade Patch that they were not involved with the arrest or investigation, and that Morehouse Police took the lead.
• The AJC reported that, “Ndudikwa, Frank and Kidd were all charged with rape.  Mgbo was charged with sodomy, kidnapping and reckless conduct.”
• Frank, Ndudikwa, and Mgbo were arrested on April 11 and Kidd was arrested on the 15th.

My head is bloodied but unbowed,

Dr O Morehouse 89′

See Morehouse College News Release

The post OMG! Say it Aint So… 4 Morehouse Students Arrested for Sexual Assault appeared first on AskDrO.com.

This incident took place Sunday in Albuquerque, New Mexico at St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church.  He injured four church members to include the choir director, and the flutist. He actually hsad to be tackled and restraine by church members. There were actually a few others injured, but they did not have to go tot hte hospital. This is just too much. Now wasn’t it Easter Sunday, approximately 4 Sundays ago that a man walked into a C.O.G.I.C. and shot his father to death? http://www.askdro.com/2013/04/son-shoots-father-dead-at-an-easter-sunday-service/ Zion is anybody anywhere praying at this time. The church use to be a safe place, but it appears that the devil and lunacy has entered ye in to the tabernacle,also. I also have to mention what happened at Pastor Creflo Dollar’s Church last year. http://www.askdro.com/2012/10/shooting-at-creflo-dollarss-church/ The devil has gone crazy and really lost his mind.

By the way, the young man that went to school and tried to kill himself, did it in a Catholic School. http://www.askdro.com/2013/04/teenager-at-la-salle-high-school-attempts-suicide-in-classrom/

During this guys attack, he continue his onslaught until tackled. It appears that there was no particular person targeted. I am just wondering , will we soon have to start locking our church doors after everyone is in for Sunday School?   Will we need the uniformed officers to guard the doors? Will our Pastors have to start packing? There is a current debate about gun control in our nation, but with the recurrent attacks in the church, where does this really lead us at this time.

Interview with Pastor Voss out of Carollton,TX on 4/30/13.

Question ear Pastor Voss What do you think is happening  in  America’s Churches?

Response:  ”I believe what we are seeing is the results of powerless churches. I see this a lot on the mission field.

Question: What if any, are current remedies for what is happening physically in the church during services?(attacks and killings)

Response:”Well, even though service itself has to start with prayer. If people are praying through before service, it would be virtually impossible to be killed during service. We pray out of tradition, rather than until we breakthrough.”

Question: Do you believe that people are becoming more and more afraid to come out to physical church services?

Responses: Yes, terrified. Also, the Hartford Insurance Company (larger insurer of churches in America) is now requiring  that an armed  certified individual  be on-site during church services.

Question: Is this indicative of something happening in our world and culture?

Answer: :”I belive that this is the beginning of the church being persecuted form the outside. We are only familiar with internal conficts and fights. Right now the church is not strong enough to deal with what is going on in the atmosphere. We must go back to fasting daily, intercessory prayer and reading  a chapter a day in the New Testament, not the Old Testament Bible

Question: Are you available for teaching and training.

Answer: Yes, please forward your request to

C/O Pastor G.Voss

2765  E. Trinity Mills Road

Building 300

Carollton, TX 75006

The post OMG!Chaos in the Sanctuary: 4 Stabbed in the Choir Loft During Service appeared first on AskDrO.com.