I LOVE Bermuda,but there are some things I sincerely dislike about my homeland. One of these is the problem that some people have with people of colour being successful, wealthy, accomplished, leaders, in charge, etc. This is a big issue and many people are guilty of this, including people of colour. On the one hand, some folks who have lighter skin are not accustomed to a black person being in charge of something and don’t like it. On the other hand there are also black people who have been brainwashed by the vestiges of slavery and the hundreds of years of oppression that blacks suffered and they too are not comfortable with people who look like them being in charge (in part this suspicion stems from the days of slavery when, in some cases, blacks sold other blacks into bondage. It may sound like nonsense to some of you but check the history books — it happened).

Whatever happens, this has to change. People are people, we are all equal, irrespective of race, creed, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, etc.

More on all of this after we check out the Top 20.

Improving to number one is I’m A Flirt, by R Kelly featuring T.I. and T-Pain. This track is quite interesting and describes many of us here in Bermuda; both guys and girls. Not sure why this is the case, but many of us do flirt. It is largely the Bermudian way. The only advice is to be careful, J!

Way up to number two is This is Why I’m Hot, by Mims. Oh boy, have you got to hear this monster hip hop joint. Admittedly, if you don’t like hip hop or rap music, you may not like this one. However, I love hip hop and I love this track. While the lyrics are limited and without real meaning (which music purists from previous generations might criticise this track), the beat is just hott, with two T’s, which is what makes the song a chart-topper. It is a slow, deliberate beat but it pulsates and keeps hitting at you until you are forced to bop your head if you’re driving, and it makes you dance if you’re standing. In short, it bangs.

I was in T-Dot (Toronto for those who are not in the know) for Easter and must have heard this track on the radio no less than 100 times over that long weekend. Mims was planning to be in town shortly for a concert and the people couldn’t wait for him to get there. It’s good to see a cool, East Coast rapper blow up like nitro.

At number three i> Buddy by Musiq Soulchild. It is good to have Musiq back dropping hits, after a short hiatus out of the spotlight. Say It Right by Nelly Furtado, the Canadian cutie, moves up to number four. The Canadians love themselves a little bit of Nelly. Her music get lots of airplay on Canadian radio stations; you hear it all over the place. I even heard a killer dance mix of her previous hit, with TimbalandI>Promiscuou<$>s, which bangs.

Falling to number five is You, by Lloyd featuring L’il Wayne. Now some banging new joints. Slipping to number six is Jennifer Hudson with her monster hiAnd I Am Telling You<$>. Everybody who has heard this diva sing knows that she can flat out sing. How could she not win American l<$>? Whatever, she now has an Oscar to shove down their throats!

Jumping to number seven is Last Night by Diddy featuring Keishia Cole. Last week’s essential new jo, Glamourous<$> by Fergie featuring Ludacris, improves to number eight. This is a banger. I like to call a spade a spade; and Fergie is just HOTT (again with two T’s). She is sexy, she can sing, she can dance, she can move, she is an excellent entertainer and she drops hits. Have a look at the picture that sits alongside this review and see if I am lying! Enough said!

Improving at number nine is Gotta<$>, by Young Jeezy featuring R Kelly, a kicking hip hop tune. Down to number 10 is Please Don̵ Go <$>by Tank.

Tumbling to number 11 is Runaway by Jamieroquai, a former essential selection while slipping to numbe2 is Runaway Love<$> by Ludacris featuring Mary J. Blige.

New at number 13 is Don't Matter by Akon. Down to number 14 is Rich Boy featuring Polow Da D with Throw Some D’s. <$>Dropping like it’s hot to number 15 is Pretty Ricky with On tHotline<$>.

Falling to number 16 is Pop’ <$>by Chris Brown featuring Jay Biz. In the number 17 spot this week is Omarion with Ice Box. At ner 18 is Angelicus, by Delirium featuring Isabel Bayrakdarian, a monster house joint that is banging at the hot, trendy, chic, hot spots in the hot cities around the world. On the way down, to number19, is Lost without you by Robin Thicke. Now, this week’s essential new joint. In at number 20 is a huge track by three hot artiststs called Give it to Me, by Timbaland featuring Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake. Talk about an all-star cast; those three couldn’t put out a bad song if they tried, whether they did it as a collaboration or alone. Listen out for this track, it kicks and will be around for a while.

Now back to this week’s word - causing everyone to accept and become more comfortable with black people being successful, rich, wealthy, accomplished, in charge of stuff, etc.

You can’t keep a good man down. You can’t keep a good woman down. You can’t keep good people down. Cream, eventually, rises to the top. The world is advancing, but not as far and as quickly as it might have done. We have come a long way, but boy do we have much further to go.

Great people like Jesus, Martin Luther King, Jackie Robinson, Bob Marley, Rosa Parks and many others would be extremely disappointed at the lack of progress that mankind has made since they left us.

These men all prayed for us to learn to love each other more, respect each other more. They all longed for a day when people would be judged only by the content of their character, not the colour of their skins.

Words from one of Mr. Robert Nesta Marley’s songs, War, come to mind. Indulge me, please. He wrote and sang, “Until the colour of a man’s skin, is of no more significance, than the colour of his eyes, it’s a war”.

There is a recently releasedvie called Are We There Yet? <$>Regrettably, the answer is “NO! We are not there yet.”

So, how do we get there? For starters perceptions must change. Here is an example; one that pissed me off royally and a phenomenon which must change, now. A young black teenager was recently seen purchasing some expensive sports equipment at a sports store. Later, some money was missing. You know where this is going, right?

A person who was not Bermudian, was also not black and who was the custodian of the missing funds, presumed that the young brother had stolen the money and used it to purchase the aforementioned equipment he had bought earlier. This person then proceeded to sully the young man’s name, dignity, character and those of his entire family, by suggesting to many others in writing the possibility that this young brother had stolen the cash.

This story cannot have a happy ending; the real world isn’t like Hollywood, because although he was proven innocent and the cash was located, this will happen again; perhaps not to him, but to some other black person.

The issue is this. Why couldn’t that individual, instead of thinking that there is no way a young black man or his family can be rich enough to spend money like other wealthy persons do, assume the opposite - that there is every reason that he and his family could be independently wealthy and every reason why he could be a millionaire. I have a message to persons who automatically and firstly assume the black person is not wealthy.

News flash - all Bermudians, be they black or white, are blessed with great opportunities in this country. We all have access to education, we can all purchase real estate, anyone can invest their money, everybody can own their own business, all Bermudians can become independently wealthy, regardless of their ethnicity. In fact, there are numerous wealthy black Bermudians.

Many of our taxi drivers own multiple homes, multiple taxis and other investments, which generate decent returns. Contrary to what some people say or think, most Bermudians are hard-working, intelligent, proud, savvy, well-educated, well-read, knowledgeable, decent, sensible, fair, reasonable and God-fearing people. Those who are not are the exception rather than the rule.

However, it is human nature to discuss or remember the negative stories rather than the success stories. Also, most wealthy and successful people don’t want or need to advertise their success, their wealth, or beat their chests. These folks are happy to quietly go about their lives, making and counting their millions, without telling the whole world about it.

However, there are many Bermudians who have paid cash to send their children to universities. No bank loans, but cash money for four or more years of education. You’ll see the names of such schools plastered on the rear windows of many of these proud parents.

Don’t get me wrong; not everybody with a university sticker on their car is independently wealthy, but many of them are.

The other issue is with the current Government. No matter what they do, there are many people who are just uncomfortable with a political party that is historically and mostly black, being in charge.

These persons, some of whom are white and some of whom are black, cannot wrap their antiquated brains around the fact that a black person or a primarily black party is in charge of the country. The United Bermuda Party had 30 years to run things; now the Progressive Labour Party is having its turn at the helm.

Everybody knows an election is to be held soon, so the country will have the opportunity to decide who it wishes to handle the people’s business and this is the way our democracy works.

If people have issues with a Government, any Government, let them know by how you vote and speak to the various representatives when they come around to campaign.

Every person’s vote matters and we should have more like 90 percent of the eligible electorate voting whenever there is an election. If people choose not to vote or not to become involved in the process, these same people should not complain about the policies or practices of ANY Government or political party.

The vestiges of slavery mentioned earlier show up when black people, who generations ago were oppressed and suppressed by Caucasians, don’t think that black people, even themselves, can or should be in charge of something, President of a country, CEO of a company, leader of anything for that matter.

These people are conditioned, by their past, to think that white people should always be the boss. There are white people too who feel this way.

Well, most of us have moved past this way of thinking but even if there is one person left on the earth who thinks this way, we still have a problem and it must be addressed.

I am not sure how you get rid of this type of poisoned, antiquated and racist thinking, but it has to be obliterated if the world and its people are to ever move forward.

So, the great people who fought for equal rights in years past and who lost their lives during the struggle would not be impressed with the fact that these issues still plague our society today. They without question hoped that we would have achieved much more by 2007. Let’s hope that we can get there, soon.

Peace be with you —