If you’re not an avid gossip/”celebrity” blog reader first of all let me say good for you. Secondly, you probably don’t know who Chrissy Teigen is or why she would appear to be a hater. I’m going to be honest, I, like most people, didn’t know who she was—and quite honestly had never heard of her—until I saw her and John Legend (“Ordinary People” crooner) on “Watch What Happens Live.” However, she is a model. More importantly, she is John Legend’s fiancée. At this point, you might be nodding your head thinking, Oh, okay; it all makes sense (why she’s “important”). Well, just to catch you up, on that same episode of “WWHL” John Legend was asked what he thought of Rihanna and Chris Brown collaborating on two songs. John Legend took the politically correct way out but Chrissy did not. She was very vocal about her feelings, stating she thought it was “terrible.” That’s no big deal, right? I, too, thought it was a bad look.

Well, fast-forward to the Billboard Music Awards this past Sunday and Chrissy let’s her opinionated thoughts boom out again. She subliminally tweeted, “Lip syncing is a helluva drug.” This wouldn’t have been a big deal had she not coincidently tweeted it while Chris Brown was performing or so close to his performance. It’s subliminal because she didn’t come right out and say “Chris Brown you suck for lip syncing.” Her tweets led to public backlash by “Team Breezy.” The backlash led Chris Brown to diffuse the situation where he referred to the person they were tweeting, subliminally, as leading a “pointless existence.” John Legend then comes out and states he doesn’t think her existence is pointless, some mumbo jumbo about being able to take criticism and how having a differing opinion doesn’t make you a hater, and also that people need not tell him to silence his woman (I’m putting it nicely) because, after all, it’s not 1950. Chrissy feels great in her spirit and tweets something along of the lines of him being the wind beneath her wings and that’s why she wants to marry him.

Okay. John Legend is right: having a differing opinion doesn’t make you a hater; as a musician or artist of any kind, there will be some people who don’t love what you do. The problem is A) Chrissy shouldn’t have said anything in the first place. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about women, opinions, voices and sharing them. However, if she didn’t want the backlash of thousands of Breezy fans, she shouldn’t have addressed him at all, subliminally or other. B) She also looks like a hater because she’s talking “smack” (to keep it clean) about the hottest dude in the game right now, while her dude is doing...”Duets”? Let’s just be real, the last time we heard John Legend before that ghastly performance on the Billboard Music Awards was when? C) Speaking of horrid performances, another reason she shouldn’t have said one word is because John Legend’s tribute to the late, great, Whitney Houston, though “live” was downright disrespectful, unnecessary and a waste of time and effort. And finally, she looks like the ultimate hater because this is not her first time having something opinionatedly negative to say about Chris Brown. At this point, you simply just have an issue with Chris Brown. You just don’t like him. That’s fine. Like Mr. Legend said, you have that right; but if you nitpick a celebrity with a young, dangerously loyal following you’re going to get chopped up, chewed up and spit out.

The reason why I have to unfortunately agree with the women who say John Legend needs to shut her up is because while she may not be in the music industry, he is. The name “Chrissy Teigen,” for most of us, doesn’t mean a thing. It gains meaning when you say, “John Legend’s fiancée.” As such, she represents him. And when it comes to men and women beefing, if your chic is talking recklessly, then YOU need to get her. I don’t have a problem with her opinion, only with the timing and the shade. The reality is, damn near everybody who hit the stage that night was lip syncing, so why mention it around the time that he is on stage? It seems intentional. It seems like shade. And being that this isn’t her first time having something to say about Chris Brown...it seems like she’s a hater.

The fact is, there is nothing wrong with being opinionated, boisterous or vocal, however, there is a time and place for everything. Chrissy needs to realize who she’s dating. She’s said that she’s not in the music industry so she can say whatever she wants, but that’s not true. Your words might cause problems for your man. If you’re choosing to date a public figure then you have to understand what goes into that and adjust to it. If you choose to ruffle feathers, that’s fine, but understand, just like last night, you make him have to defend you and get in the middle of it by doing so. Just like Michelle Obama can’t jump fly because of who she dates, the same is true for you.

If you choose to start a war, don’t be upset when you get hit with bullets.

Tierra.

 
 
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Recently there was an article published about singer Rihanna in a Dutch magazine in which she was referred to as a “NiggaBitch.” Now, before you go getting all up in arms and making this a racial issue, which it’s not, let me finish explaining what happened. Apparently, the writer and editor of the magazine derived the term from “American music.” They first called it a joke, telling the singer and the audience not to be so “sensitive.” When Rihanna responded, the nail came down and it lead to the editor resigning. Now, you may be thinking, Great! That’s exactly what she needs to do! Well, I disagree.

There are so many things wrong with this whole debacle that it’s ridiculous. First of all, I don’t believe it’s a racial issue. I think Black people will make it a racial issue despite the fact that in the same breath they will tell you when they use the N-word it’s a term of endearment. Also, women who call each other bitches will tell you it’s a term of endearment. So why NOW is it a racial offense? If “nigga” is the equivalent of “homie” why be upset because a magazine called Rihanna one? If “bitch” is a loving term among women and something to be proud of like the songs “5 Star Bitch” (Yo Gotti) and “I’m a Bitch” (Alanis Morissette) suggest, then why are we angry?

But beyond that, it boggles the mind why a woman who refers to herself as a “Cunt”—even walking around with the matching necklace—would be upset because someone calls her a “NiggaBitch.” Is it because it was in a well-read magazine? Is it because it was a white person? I don’t get it. She goes around cooning on camera and on stage but then she’s upset to be called a “nigga.” The reality is, not only were these words picked up by American culture/Black music, but they’re appropriate. The writers were probably wondering, What do you call a woman in jean panties, fishnet stockings and high heels, with gold teeth and a pimp cane that’s constantly writhing around simulating masturbation? Hmm...well rappers would call her a bitch...and because she’s so “down,” we’ll call her a nigga.

I don’t see this as a racial issue because I don’t think this magazine would refer to Beyonce as a NiggaBitch, nor would they refer to Michelle Obama as one. I just think it’s time to take a cold hard look at what we put out. Rihanna doesn’t garner respect. She’s sexed up (x-ed up) and doesn’t want to be respected; she’s quick to let folks know she’s not a role model.

Racism does exist, but so does ignorance in “American culture/the Black community.” We okayed the words “nigga” and “bitch” so we shouldn’t be upset when they’re used against us. You can’t put these words (and coon-energy) into the universe and not expect people to label you with it. If you want to be upheld with the highest respect, then start acting respectable. If you want to be called something other than “NiggaBitch” quit calling each other “niggas” and “bitches” and quit acting like ‘em. Guess these words aren’t so endearing after all, are they?